TRANSPORT

Crossrail

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the building work on the Crossrail scheme to start.

Alistair Darling: Main construction of Crossrail could not start until the necessary powers are in place.

London Underground (Assaults)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers on the London Underground have been assaulted in the last 12 months.

Tony McNulty: The total number of assaults recorded by the British Transport Police for their London Underground Area for the period from 1 March 2004 to 28 February 2005 was 2,022. A breakdown of the offence categories is provided in the table:
	
		
			 Offence Number 
		
		
			 Grievous bodily harm 12 
			 Wounding 5 
			 Actual bodily harm 782 
			 Racially aggravated malicious wounding or grievous  bodily harm 3 
			 Racially aggravated actual bodily harm 45 
			 Racially aggravated common assault 87 
			 Common assault 1,088 
			 Total 2,022

Operation Stack

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance the Department has issued on Operation Stack in Kent.

David Jamieson: The Highways Agency, on behalf of the Department, provides information and advice to motorists about Operation Stack, using road signs, leaflets and on their website.
	Kent Police has the sole authority for implementing Operation Stack but work closely with the Highways Agency to ensure that disruption is kept to a minimum.

Regional Offices

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what regional (a) bodies, (b) institutions, (c) taskforces, (d) panels, (e) offices and (f) organisations the Government have established since May 1997 which his Department is responsible for.

Charlotte Atkins: Information on taskforces attached to central Government Departments and in existence between May 1997 and October 2000 was made available in three reports published in January, July and December 2000 on "Task Forces, Ad Hoc Advisory Groups and Reviews". For the years 2001–02 and 2003–03, this information has been included in the publications "Public Bodies 2002" and "Public Bodies 2003" respectively. Copies of these reports are available in the Library of the House. For 2003–04, this information can be found on the Cabinet Office's Public Bodies database.
	The GLA Act 1999 established Transport for London (TfL) under the direction of the Mayor of London to implement policies that promote and encourage safe, integrated, efficient, and economic transport facilities and services to, from and within London. TfL was established on 3 July 2000. The British Transport Police Authority was established on 1 June 2004 and is modelled on Home Office local police authorities.

Snow Ploughs

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) snow ploughs and (b) gritting vehicles were deployed on the (i) M1, (b) M18 and (c) M62 on 21 February.

David Jamieson: On 21 February, the Highways Agency deployed in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region:
	Six gritters, all fitted with snow ploughs, on the Ml;
	Five gritters, all fitted with snow ploughs, on the Ml8; and
	Nine gritters, all fitted with snow ploughs, on the M62

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to secure improvements to the accessibility, punctuality and reliability for local public transport will be met by 2010;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the use of local public transport by 12 per cent. from 2000 levels will be met by 2010.

Charlotte Atkins: Increases in bus patronage in England since 2000–01 have been consistent with achieving the PSA target to increase the use of local public transport (bus and light rail) by 12 per cent. from 2000 levels by 2010. Bus and light rail patronage in England increased by 6.3 per cent. between the baseline year of 2000–01 and 2003–04, the latest period for which data are available, covering the first three years of the 10-year target period.
	The version of the target specified for SR2002 also included the requirement to secure improvements to the accessibility, punctuality and reliability of local public transport.
	The percentage of the GB local bus fleet that is wheelchair accessible has increased from 22 per cent. in 2000–01 to 39 per cent. in 2003–04.
	There is no national target for improvements in accessibility. However, local authorities will need to include at least one local accessibility target in their second round Local Transport Plans and the Department will monitor progress against these targets. The Department has developed a range of core indicators, which will be used to build up a national picture of accessibility. Local targets may be based on these core indicators, or on other factors relevant in the local area.
	The reliability of bus services in England (percentage of scheduled mileage run, excluding loses outside operators' control) has increased from 98.2 per cent. in 2000–01 to 98.5 per cent. in 2003–04.
	A pilot national survey of bus punctuality in England was carried out in March 2004. The first main survey is planned for March/April 2005. We are not yet in a position to assess whether punctuality is improving. Local authorities will need to include a bus punctuality indicator in their second round Local Transport Plans and monitor progress in their areas. Local authorities and bus operators are encouraged to work together in Punctuality Improvement Partnerships to overcome problems which lead to poor punctuality.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Public Service Agreement target to achieve annual efficiency savings across the Department of 2.5 per cent. was met in 2004.

Charlotte Atkins: As outlined in the Department's 2004 Autumn Performance Report, the Department achieved efficiencies of £11.1 million in 2003–04 against a target of £8.9 million.

Transport (Women Workers)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of how many women work in the UK transport sector.

Charlotte Atkins: Estimates are available, based on Office for National Statistics surveys of employers, about the number of employee jobs in the transport sector in Great Britain.
	The table shows the number of employee jobs in the transport sector in Great Britain that are held by women. The statistics are for March 2004, the latest available period, and are classified according to the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 1992.
	
		Number of employee jobs(1) in transport sector held by women; Great Britain, March 2004
		
			 SIC92 code(2) Industry sector Thousand 
		
		
			 60.1 Transport via railways 9 
			 60.2 and 60.3 Other land transport; transport via pipelines 88 
			 61 Water transport 3 
			 62 Air transport 46 
			 63 Supporting and auxiliary transport activities; activities of travel agencies 146 
			 60–63 Total transport industries 292 
		
	
	(1) Estimates exclude the self-employed
	(2) Estimates are classified according to the Standard Industrial Classification 1992
	Source:
	Employment surveys, Office for National Statistics (ONS)
	In March 2004, 29 per cent. of employee jobs in the transport sector were occupied by women, compared with 17 per cent. in March 1995.

Road Safety

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what educational material is provided by his Department to local education authorities to teach children about road safety.

David Jamieson: The Department for Transport provides a range of educational materials for local education authorities and schools to teach children of all ages about road safety.
	Web-based resources include:
	On the safe side—local responsibility on road safety education in schools: good practice and teaching ideas for primary schools, secondary schools and local authorities. http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_rdsafety/documents/divisionhomepage/032504.hcsp
	Road safety lesson plans in a range of curriculum subjects for pupils from key stage 1 to AS/A2 level. http://www.databases.dft.gov.uk/lessonplans/
	A database of road safety educational resources, launched in March 2005 http://www.databases.dft.gov.uk/roadsafety
	Hard-copy teaching materials available from DfTs Free Literature Service include:
	Making Choices—moving on to secondary school: teacher's manual, parent's booklet and child's magazine
	Out of school care activity pack—for after school clubs
	A rural road safety teaching resource for Key Stage 1 and 2 pupils, prepared with RoSPA, will be launched this spring.
	The Driving Standards Agency runs the Arrive Alive education programme, aimed at pre-drivers and newly-qualified drivers aged 16–19. The presentation is delivered free of charge to a range of organisations including schools and colleges, armed forces, youth football teams and Young Offenders' Units.
	Road safety education and training is often delivered through local authority road safety officers. They can also deliver training schemes such as DfT's Kerbcraft roadside child pedestrian training scheme, the Crossroads pc-based pedestrian training scheme and cycle training.

Trunk Roads

Angela Browning: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the criteria by which trunk roads are designated as routes of strategic national importance.

David Jamieson: The Highways Agency announced on 1 December 2004 that the strategic road network would in future be considered as consisting of two categories—roads which are key trade routes of predominantly national and international importance and routes of predominantly regional rather than national importance.
	The document 'Devolved Decision Making: a consultation on regional funding allocations' issued by HM Treasury on 2 December 2004 proposed that the criteria for determining routes of national importance should be as follows:
	To have average daily traffic flows, along the length of the route, of more than 60,000 vehicles
	To link at least two of the top 20 English cities by population; or link one of the top 20 cities with an airport/seaport or Wales/Scotland
	To carry heavy goods vehicle traffic equal to or in excess of 15 per cent. as a percentage of all traffic, as an average along the length of the route
	To be represented on the European Union's trans-European transport network.
	A route would have to satisfy all of these criteria.

Trunk Roads

Angela Browning: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the Answer of 25 February 2005, Official Report, column 839W, on trunk roads (Bristol), which of the major trunk roads listed are core trunk roads of strategic national importance.

David Jamieson: The Government's consultation paper—"Devolving Decision Making: A Consultation on Regional Funding Allocations"—set out proposals to establish regional transport funding allocations.
	The consultation paper explained that the proposed regional transport funding allocations would initially bring together capital funding projected for major schemes (generally costing over £5 million each) under the Local Transport Plan (LTP) system and for major Highways Agency schemes, except for those on routes of strategic national significance where decisions will continue to be taken nationally.
	The M4, and the M5 north of Bristol, are categorised as routes of strategic national importance in the consultation paper.
	The consultation paper proposes that the other roads listed in the previous Answer should be regarded as routes of regional significance, for the purposes of future regional decision-making. The proposals for regional funding allocations will give regions a far stronger base on which to plan, and will enable them to contribute to decisions that better reflect regional priorities.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

1 Parliament Street

Paul Flynn: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission how many times in the last year fire alarms have operated in 1 Parliament street; on how many of those occasions the fire brigade attended; and what percentage involved fires causing serious damage.

Archy Kirkwood: In the year since 1 April 2004, the fire alarm has sounded 22 times in 1 Parliament street. The fire brigade attended 11 of these incidents. None of the 22 incidents involved fires causing serious damage, thanks to the timely intervention of staff. Every effort is being made to reduce the number and frequency of false alarms, which is above what is regarded as an acceptable level.

Parliamentary Cleaners

David Taylor: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what role the Commission has in setting the pay and conditions of people employed to clean the parliamentary estate.

Archy Kirkwood: The House of Commons Commission is responsible for the pay and conditions of the 58 cleaning staff who are directly employed by the Refreshment Department, the Department of the Serjeant at Arms and the Library. They are not directly responsible for the pay and conditions of a further 121 cleaners who are employed by contractors.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Citizenship Syllabus

Ann Coffey: To ask the Leader of the House what representations he has made to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on giving more emphasis to Parliament in the school citizenship syllabus.

Phil Woolas: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 8 February 2005, Official Report, column 1369W.

Programming of Bills

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Leader of the House if he will propose to the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons that it examines the arrangements for programming of legislation.

Phil Woolas: My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

Westminster Hall

David Kidney: To ask the Leader of the House if he will propose to the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons that it examine the merits of a cross-cutting question time in Westminster Hall on an EU theme.

Phil Woolas: My right hon. Friend's memorandum to the Modernisation Committee last year suggested that an option would be to use the facility for cross-cutting questions sessions in Westminster Hall for questions on European matters, perhaps on a regular and established basis. I understand that the Committee hopes to report its conclusions shortly.

Prevention of Terrorism Bill

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Leader of the House how many times he has met (a) the Law Lords and (b) Lord Lloyd of Berwick, as former Chairman of the Security Commission, to discuss the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Bill.

Peter Hain: I have not met with (a) the Law Lords or (b) Lord Lloyd of Berwick to discuss the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Bill.

SCOTLAND

Small Businesses

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next expects to meet representatives of small business organisations in Scotland to discuss central Government support schemes in Scotland.

Anne McGuire: I frequently meet representatives from small business organisations in Scotland and I am next scheduled to do so on 12 April.

Infantry Regiments

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the Secretary of State for Defence to discuss the future of Scotland's infantry regiments.

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the Secretary of State for Defence to discuss the future of Scotland's infantry regiments.

Alistair Darling: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence and I have had recent discussions on a range of issues.

Infantry Regiments

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the Secretary of State for Defence to discuss the future of Scotland's infantry regiments.

Alistair Darling: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for South-West Bedfordshire (Andrew Selous).

Abdelbaset al-Megrahi

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive on the transfer of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi from Barlinnie to Greenock prison.

Alistair Darling: I have not had any discussions with the Scottish Executive on the transfer of Mr Al Megrahi and have nothing to add to the reply on this matter which my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, gave on 9 March 2005, Official Report, column 1885W.

Unemployment

Calum MacDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the unemployment rate in the highlands and islands since 1997.

Anne McGuire: The claimant count unemployment rate for the Highlands and Islands fell from 6.2 per cent. in 1997 to 2.9 per cent. in 2004, below the Scottish average of 3.5 per cent., and there are around 6,400 fewer people in the area claiming unemployment-related benefits compared to 1997. This demonstrates the success of the Government's strategy of making work pay in every region through initiatives such as new deal, the national minimum wage and working tax credits.

Economic Competitiveness

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive on measures to boost Scottish economic competitiveness.

Alistair Darling: I have regular discussions with the Scottish Executive on a range of issues. The current strength of the Scottish economy has been made possible by the macroeconomic stability delivered by this Government and our commitment to work with the Executive to develop economic competitiveness by promoting productivity and building a more enterprising, innovative and highly skilled economy.

Means Testing

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Department for Work and Pensions on the impact of means testing on pensioners in Scotland.

Anne McGuire: My right hon. Friend has had discussions on a range of issues with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, but not on this topic. Our aim is to ensure security and independence in retirement for everyone while targeting greatest resources on those most in need.

Minimum Wage

David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer about the impact on the economy in Scotland of the announced increase in the level of the national minimum wage; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: My right hon. Friends, the Secretary of State and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced the forthcoming increases in the national minimum wage in Scotland on 25 February.
	The adult rate of the minimum wage will increase from £4.85 to £5.05 in October, benefiting 140,000 workers in Scotland. A further 6 per cent. increase to £5.35 is planned for October 2006.
	Anyone who thinks they are not being paid the minimum wage should call the helpline on 0845 6000 678 or in Scotland 0845 600 1768, or use the interactive website http://www.tiger.gov.uk.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Freedom of Information

John Greenway: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs who is responsible for deciding whether information requested from local government under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 qualifies for an exemption under the Act.

Christopher Leslie: Each individual public authority—and each local authority—is responsible for ensuring that they fulfil their obligations under the Freedom of Information Act. Local councils will make their own arrangements for deciding whether exemptions apply to information requested.

External Consultants

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much his Department spent on external consultants in (a) 1997 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available.

David Lammy: My Department's expenditure with consultants in the years requested was as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1996–97 1,088,464 
			 2003–04 9,016,488 
		
	
	The level of expenditure with external consultants reflects the wide-ranging and fast paced programme of change within my Department. This programme has contributed significantly to modernised and more efficient public services. Delivering such a programme has necessitated the use of external expertise to supplement internal resources.

Human Rights Act

John Robertson: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the Human Rights Act 1998 on UK law.

David Lammy: The impact has been very much as predicted by the Government when the Act was debated here and in another place during its legislative stages. New laws are compliant, old laws are tested and everyone's rights are protected.

Legal Aid

Bob Spink: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the cost of providing legal aid for immigration and asylum cases was in the latest year for which figures are available.

David Lammy: Actual expenditure in 2003–04 was £203 million. Estimated expenditure for 2004–05 is £170 million and £117 million for 2005–06 in cash terms. A number of important measures were introduced in April 2004 and we expect these measures to reduce expenditure. Funding is being concentrated only on those cases which need it, improving cost control and driving up the quality of services provided by the Legal Services Commission's asylum and immigration suppliers.

Legal Aid

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what percentage of the population had access to civil legal aid in (a) 1997 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available.

David Lammy: Although we do not have precise data, the results of a number of different surveys indicate that the proportion eligible has remained at approximately 50 per cent. since 1997.

Law Centres

David Kidney: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what support his Department has provided for the maintenance of the network of law centres in England in 2004–05.

David Lammy: In 2004–05, the DCA has provided funding and contracts to 52 Law Centres in England to a value of £9,0959,968.
	This was done through the Legal Services Commission's Community Legal Services Budget.

Lord Chancellor

Hugo Swire: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what discussions he has had with the Lord Chancellor about changing his title.

Christopher Leslie: Throughout the consideration of the Constitutional Reform Bill in Parliament, I have, of course, had numerous conversations with my noble and learned Friend Lord Falconer about the formal title of Lord Chancellor. The Government decided to preserve the title Lord Chancellor while proceeding with all other substantive reforms to the Office, which we intend will become Ministerial in nature given the proposal to end the judicial functions of that post.

Prevention of Terrorism Bill

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many times the Lord Chancellor met (a) the Law Lords and (b) Lord Lloyd of Berwick as former Chairman of the Security Commission to discuss the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Bill.

Christopher Leslie: The Lord Chancellor has meetings and discussions with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings which would inhibit the free and frank exchange of views.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Homes Standards (Barnet)

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress Barnet council is making on the decent homes standards initiative.

Keith Hill: In July 2003 Barnet council was awarded a place on the Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) programme. In December 2004 the council's ALMO, Barnet Homes, secured a 2-star (good) rating from the housing inspectorate, qualifying for access to £19.1 million of ALMO funding for 2004–05 and 2005–06 to improve council homes that currently fail the decent homes standard. Subject to decisions on funding for future years, the council forecasts that all its social housing stock will meet this standard by 2010.

Housing

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his latest estimate is of the number of (a) council, (b) housing association and (c) private development dwellings that will be completed in each London borough in (i) 2004–05 and (ii) 2005–06.

Keith Hill: Local authorities, in their Housing Strategy Statistical Appendices returns to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, estimate there will be the following additional local authority dwellings in six authorities in 2004–05 and 2005–06. These estimates do not distinguish between new build dwellings and acquisitions.
	
		
			  Proposed additional local authority  dwellings completions/acquisitions 
			 Local authority 2004–05 2005–06 
		
		
			 Croydon 7 5 
			 Enfield 3 — 
			 Hillingdon 16 5 
			 Southwark 178 26 
			 Waltham Forest — 16 
			 Wandsworth 75 15 
		
	
	The Housing Corporation estimates that the following housing association dwellings will be completed in each London borough in 2004–05. These estimates are only for dwellings where subsidy is being provided through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme. The information for 2005–06 will not be available until the start of the financial year.
	
		Housing Corporation new build completions 2004–05
		
			 Local authority Number of dwellings 
		
		
			 City of London — 
			 Barking and Dagenham 130 
			 Barnet 113 
			 Bexley 46 
			 Brent 230 
			 Bromley 79 
			 Camden 215 
			 Croydon 201 
			 Ealing 339 
			 Enfield 318 
			 Greenwich 311 
			 Hackney 277 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 246 
			 Haringey 223 
			 Harrow 100 
			 Havering 103 
			 Hillingdon 104 
			 Hounslow 130 
			 Islington 201 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 26 
			 Kingston upon Thames 174 
			 Lambeth 267 
			 Lewisham 457 
			 Merton 116 
			 Newham 359 
			 Redbridge 154 
			 Richmond upon Thames 207 
			 Southwark 468 
			 Sutton 295 
			 Tower Hamlets 68 
			 Waltham Forest 137 
			 Wandsworth 322 
			 Westminster 187 
			 Total 6,603 
		
	
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not collect estimates of completions for new private sector dwellings.

Housing

Mark Hoban: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the cost of the infrastructure required to support the level of housing development for south Hampshire set out in the South East England Regional Assembly's document, the South East Plan.

Nick Raynsford: It is the responsibility of the South East England Regional Assembly to prepare the draft of the new South East Plan, before submitting it to Government for testing and final approval. Work is under way and includes consideration of the infrastructure in the region. For example, the Assembly commissioned a series of sub regional studies, including one for south Hampshire, which also looked at strategic infrastructure requirements for different growth options, and the delivery mechanisms needed to make sure new housing is provided in the most sustainable way possible. The results of these studies were fed in to the first draft of the South East Plan that is currently available for public consultation. We expect the Regional Assembly to submit their draft plan to Government later this year.

Plug-in Air Fresheners

John Randall: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what research his Department has undertaken in relation to the fire safety risks of plug-in air fresheners.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has undertaken no research in relation to the fire safety risks of air fresheners.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture and Fisheries Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the outcome was of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 28 February; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: I represented the United Kingdom at the meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels on 28 February 2005.
	The Council reached political agreement to send decommissioned EU fishing vessels to areas affected by the tsunami. Once possible vessels had been identified, an assessment of their suitability for the relevant communities would be made. Exports would only take place in accordance with requests from the third countries concerned.
	The Council adopted by qualified majority a proposal concerning wood used in packaging material entering the Union. I supported this proposal, which will delay until March 2006 a requirement under new EU plant health rules that such wood should have been de-barked, while the scientific evidence for this requirement is reviewed in consultation with third countries.
	The Council discussed the Rural Development proposal, focusing on its contribution to Lisbon agenda goals for growth and development, the scope of the competitiveness objective, possible simplification and support for Natura 2000 sites. I stressed that rural development measures should deliver public benefits. On competitiveness, I argued that support should be targeted on those businesses that found it difficult to raise capital through the normal channels. On simplification, I suggested that it would be appropriate to reduce the number of measures and adopt a more flexible approach to cross cutting projects. And I supported the Commission's work on biodiversity and Natura 2000 while suggesting that there could be a focus on water and climate change issues. No specific conclusions were drawn but the presidency indicated that it would be producing a revised draft of the proposal in the course of the week.
	The Council discussed the CAP financing proposal. We stressed the importance of securing equitable treatment of those member states outside the euro zone, supported the case for effective application of the budgetary discipline provisions and reiterated the need for further modulation, whether voluntary or compulsory, to meet land management commitments.
	A number of points were raised under any other business. The Commission reported on: the case of a French goat in which BSE had been diagnosed; and on continuing contacts with the Russian authorities over their veterinary and plant health import requirements. The presidency accepted a Dutch request to discuss at a future Council the threat posed by Avian Influenza. Germany urged the Council to seek involvement in action on food and health, sought an update on the WTO Dispute Panel considering the EU approval system for GM crops and products, and suggested a greater use of country of origin requirements in food labelling. The Commission rejected a Spanish proposal that the sugar trade concession offered to certain developing countries under the Everything But Arms commitment should be amended. The Commission also undertook to examine a Spanish request as to whether a regionalised approach to decoupling of tobacco aid could be permitted under the CAP reforms agreed last April. Olive oil producing countries pressed for the EU to resume its contributions to international promotional campaigns. Italy requested a change in the method for calculating part of the aid granted to nut producers. Several landlocked countries pressed for action to help dispose of the exceptionally heavy cereals harvest of 2004.

Animal Welfare

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many meetings (a) she, (b) her Ministers and (c) her officials have had in the past 12 months with representatives of (i) the International Fund for Animal Welfare, (i) the League Against Cruel Sports and (iii) the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Margaret Beckett: Ministers and officials meet representatives of these bodies from time to time in the normal course of business.

Ministerial Engagements

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the ministerial engagements (a) out of London and (b) in London that she has cancelled since 1 January 2004.

Margaret Beckett: None.

Ministerial Stationery

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent on official ministerial (a) business cards, (b) headed paper and (c) compliment slips in each year since 1997.

Margaret Beckett: Defra was established in 2001, and a breakdown of expenditure on ministerial business cards, headed paper and compliment slips for each financial year since then is as follows:
	
		£ (plus VAT)
		
			  Ministerial letterheads Ministerial compliment slips Ministerial business cards 
		
		
			 2001–02 5,090 0 0 
			 2002–03 7,800.70 0 0 
			 2003–04 0 100 135 
			 2004–to date 0 0 0

School Meals

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will meet the Secretary of State for Education and Skills to discuss ways of using more locally grown produce for school meals.

Alun Michael: The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) is already involved with Defra in implementing the Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative (PSFPI) that includes, as a key objective, a requirement to increase the opportunities for small local farmers and growers to compete to supply public bodies with food.
	A representative from DfES sits on the cross-public sector Food Procurement Implementation Group tasked with promoting the PSFPI within schools and other public bodies. DfES' Director of School Resources was also a panel member in a plenary discussion at the National Food Suppliers Conference on 7 March 2005, which attracted some 200 farmers, growers and suppliers from across England to learn about the PSFPI and the opportunities for supplying the public sector.
	More information about the conference and the PSFPI is given on Defra's website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/sustain/procurement/awareness.htm.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether departmental special advisers have attended meetings with external (a) bodies and (b) individuals, in their official capacity and without Ministers, since May 1997.

Margaret Beckett: Special advisers hold meetings with a wide range of external representatives in their official capacity. All such meetings are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what role is fulfilled by the third special adviser in her Department.

Margaret Beckett: Special advisers in this department are appointed under the terms and conditions set out in Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the occasions between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004 when special advisers attended meetings with external representatives at which Ministers were not present.

Margaret Beckett: Special advisers hold meetings with a wide range of external representatives in their official capacity. All such meetings are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the speeches her special advisers made in an official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004, broken down by date.

Margaret Beckett: All speeches given by special advisers are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.

Working Time Regulations

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many officials working in ministerial private offices in the Department have worked more than a 48 hour week at any time in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those had signed a waiver under working time regulations; and what percentage these figures represented of the total in each case.

Margaret Beckett: Most members of Defra ministerial private offices have worked more than a 48 hour week at some time over the past 12 months.
	The working time regulations provide workers with the protection of a limit of an average of 48 hours a week working time. This is not an absolute cap of 48 hours in any one week. This average is normally calculated over a 17 week reference period, although this can be longer in certain situations (26 weeks) and can be extended by agreement (up to 52 weeks). Workers may choose to work more than 48 hours per week over this reference period by signing an opt-out agreement, but employers cannot force a worker to sign an op-out, and workers cannot be subjected to detriment for refusing to sign an opt-out.
	No members of private offices have signed an 'opt-out' agreement.

TREASURY

Bribes

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many requests for guidance on the Income and Corporation Tax Act 1988 section 577A, concerning tax deductibility on bribes and special commissions, have been received by (a) the Inland Revenue and (b) the Inland Revenue's Head Office since April 2004.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue does not keep central records of requests for general or specific guidance on section 577A of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988. However the Head Office team most likely to receive requests for guidance have since April 2004 received some dozen requests from Inland Revenue officers and others.

Bribes

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many reports of (a) evidence of overseas bribery and (b) suspicions of overseas bribery have been passed to the Inland Revenue's Special Compliance Office since April 2004;
	(2)  how many reports of suspected bribery have been passed by the Inland Revenue to law enforcement agencies under the gateway provided by section 19 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not available.

Business Rates

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the change to business tax receipts in 2005–06 arising from the business rates revaluation in England.

Dawn Primarolo: Initial estimates were announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local and Regional Government in the written ministerial statement on the distributable amount of national non-domestic rates for 2005–06 on 2 December 2004, Official Report, column 47WS. The net rate yield from local lists after reliefs was forecast to increase by 9.6 per cent., from £15,853 million for 2004–05 to £17,368 million for 2005–06.

Company Taxation

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how much tax the Inland Revenue's Oil Taxation Office has collected on (a) signature bonuses, (b) consultancy fees and (c) special commissions on overseas business by UK companies since April 2004;
	(2)  how much tax the Inland Revenue's Large Business Office has collected on (a) consultancy fees, (b) special commissions and (c) entertainment expenses for overseas business by UK companies since April 2004.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not available.

Company Taxation

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many penalties the Inland Revenue has issued for claims on expenditure that are disallowed under section 577A of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 since April 2004; and what the total value of these penalties is.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Paymaster General will reply to the letter dated 1 February from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Carl Walker.

Dawn Primarolo: I have done so.

Dividend Tax Credit System

Gregory Barker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effect on pension funds of the abolition of the dividend tax credit system;
	(2)  whether he plans to review the effect on pension funds of the abolition of the dividend tax credit system.

Stephen Timms: The Government's 1997 package of corporation tax reforms included measures to boost corporate investment by removing tax distortions. The withdrawal of payable tax credits on dividends was just one part of these measures. Pension funds and others will share in the long-term benefits from these changes to corporation tax.
	The overall effects of these changes on pension funds will depend on a variety of factors including the type of scheme paying the pension, the take-up of private pensions, the level of future pension contributions, pension schemes' asset allocation and investment policies and investment returns generally.
	It is not possible to isolate the effect of the July 1997 Budget measures generally from the effect of other factors.

Income Tax (Scotland)

Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue impact for Scotland of (a) raising and (b) lowering the basic rate of income tax by one pence.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to table 1.6 'Direct effect of illustrative tax changes' on the Inland Revenue website:
	www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/ table1–6.pdf.

London Marathon

Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to impose VAT on sponsorship payments from those entering runners in the London Marathon; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: There are no plans to change the VAT rules on sponsorship payments and no charity need find themselves paying VAT on the funds raised by sponsored runners. Charities can also claim an extra 28p for every £1 of sponsorship raised under the Gift Aid scheme.

Nursing Bursaries

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will exempt the student bursary for nurses and midwives from tax; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will estimate the cost of exempting the student bursary for nurses and midwives from tax.

Dawn Primarolo: Students nurses and midwives who receive support through the NHS Bursary Scheme are exempt from tax and from national insurance deductions on the bursary, which is treated as a student grant and not classed as salary or wage.

Private Equity Industry

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of (a) the size of the private equity industry and (b) its contribution to the UK economy;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of (a) the number of employees and (b) the proportion of the private sector workforce employed in (i) the private equity industry and (ii) companies financed by the private equity industry.

John Healey: Alongside the 2003 pre-Budget report the Government published 'Bridging the Finance Gap: next steps in improving access to growth capital for small businesses'. This set out the Government's assessment of the importance of private equity to the economy, the Government's desire to see a deep and liquid venture capital market in the UK, and the reforms that the Government are bringing forward to improve access to finance for smaller businesses affected by the equity gap.

Stamp Duty

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue raised (a) in total and (b) within each stamp duty band in (i) Scotland and (ii) the UK.

Stephen Timms: Estimates of stamp duty revenues raised in the UK in each stamp duty band are given at:
	http://www.inlandrevenne.gov.uk/stats/stamp_duty/ table15_3_october04.pdf
	Estimates of revenue raised from transactions in Scotland are only available for 2003–04 and are given in the following table:
	
		Estimated revenue from stamp duty land tax in Scotland in 2003–04
		
			 Stamp duty band (£ million) 
		
		
			 £250,000 or less 100 
			 £250,001–£500,000 50 
			 Over £500,000 250 
			 Total 410 
		
	
	Source:
	Land Valuation Unit of the University of Paisley (which receives data from Registers of Scotland Executive Agency)

Tax Credits

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library copies of past advice on tax credits that he has received from the Social Security Advisory Committee.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the Memorandum of Understanding between the Inland Revenue and the Social Security Advisory Committee, dated 21 July 2004, a copy of which is available in the Library.

Tax Revenues

Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total revenue impact has been of changes in (a) duty on whisky, (b) duty on road fuels, (c) national insurance contributions and (d) the rates and bands for income tax since May 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: The impact on Exchequer revenues of Budget decisions concerning direct and indirect taxes since May 1997 have been published at every Budget in chapter A of the Financial Statement and Budget Report. Copies of previous year Financial Statement and Budget Reports can be found in the House Library.

Taxation/Social Security

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the latest figure is for the level of net taxes and social security contributions as a proportion of gross domestic product; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Table B15 in the 2004 pre-Budget report provides the latest figures for the level of net taxes and social security contributions as a proportion of GDP. Updated figures will be published in the Budget tomorrow.

Tobacco Taxes

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 4 February 2005, Official Report, column 1187W, on tobacco taxes, when he will place the figures for duty receipts on the website.

Dawn Primarolo: Duty receipts are published once a month in the HM Customs and Excise Tobacco Bulletin', which can be found on the UK trade info website at: www.uktradeinfo.com
	A further list of publication dates can be found at:
	http://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm ?task= statdates
	The next available publication date for the Tobacco Bulletin is 24 March 2005.

VAT (Hospices)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Prime Minister in relation to making hospices exempt from the payment of VAT.

John Healey: The Chancellor and the Prime Minister meet regularly to discuss a wide range of issues. It has been the practice of successive Administrations for many years not to make public confidential communications between Ministers. Doing so would harm the candour and frankness of internal discussions.

WALES

European Constitution

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs concerning publication of the Welsh translation of the Constitutional Treaty for the European Union.

Don Touhig: I am pleased to say that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will be producing a Welsh translation of the Constitutional Treaty. This will be published on the FCO and the Wales Office websites.
	I hope that the translation will help increase awareness of the contents of the Treaty and what it will mean for the people of Wales. My right hon. Friend has also produced a Welsh language version of the Guide to the EU Constitutional Treaty.

Surplus Assets Sales

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether his Department sold any surplus stock on the e-Bay auction website, in each year since 2000–01.

Don Touhig: The Wales Office has never sold surplus stock on the e-Bay auction website.

Surplus Assets Sales

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the value of sales of surplus assets from his Department was in each year since 2000–01.

Don Touhig: There have been no sales of surplus assets by the Wales Office since 2000–01.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

BBC Regional Broadcasting Councils

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans the Government have to create regional broadcasting councils for the BBC; whether they are to be based on the Government Offices for the Regions regional structure; and if she will make a statement.

Estelle Morris: Under the terms of its Royal Charter the BBC currently has a Regional Advisory Council for each of its 11 English regions. These regions do not coincide with the Government's regional office structure.
	The Government's Charter Review Green Paper discusses possible ways of improving the BBC's responsiveness to licence fee payers, including building on the Corporation's existing regional and national Councils.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will reply to the letter dated 3 February from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Colin Brierley.

Richard Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State replied to the right hon. Gentlemen on 10 March.

Musical Instruments

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment her Department has made of the benefit to children of learning to play musical instruments of (a) existing and (b) planned programmes funded by her Department designed to encourage children to begin or continue playing; and if she will make a statement.

Estelle Morris: Youth Music, a national charity set up in 1999 with £10 million per year of National Lottery money provided through Arts Council England, has granted over 1,500 awards nationally and reached over 880,000 participants. All projects funded through Youth Music are evaluated.
	Youth Music has also funded seven Wider Opportunities pilots, in which schools have developed programmes to explore ways of delivering instrumental tuition to groups of young people. 'Creating Chances for Making Music', an evaluation of these pilots (and of a further six funded by DfES), has been sent to every primary school and LEA in England.
	Ofsted produced an evaluation report of 12 Wider Opportunities pilot areas. Findings were sent to all schools and LEAs in the form of a report and DVD entitled 'Tuning In'.

Television Licensing Authority

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what the cost of running the Television Licensing Authority was in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  whether the running costs of the Television Licensing Authority are deducted from the total revenue derived from the television licence; and if she will make a statement.

Estelle Morris: The BBC is the television licensing authority. The Corporation contracts out the collection work to a number of agents and meets these costs directly. The collection costs for each of the last three years, as published in the BBC's annual reports and accounts, were:
	
		
			  Amount ( million) 
		
		
			 200102 95.4 
			 200203 146.4 
			 200304 150.8

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Bangladesh

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what programmes the Government are considering planning to assist in Bangladesh; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: DFID's programme aid to Bangladesh in 200506 will be 125 million.
	Our programme priorities will be: Primary Education, Healthcare, Water and Sanitation, Livelihoods of the Poorest, Private Sector Development and Economic Infrastructure, Governance, and Disaster Preparedness and Climate Change.
	Examples of funding under our programme include:
	25 million annually through the Government of Bangladesh's health programme to accelerate progress of the health Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by strengthened infrastructure and management and by supporting essential health services such as HIV prevention and control, TB, polio eradication and MMR.
	100 million for the Government's Primary Education Development Programme (PEDP)-II for a period of six years from 2004, with a particular focus on girls education.
	50 million for an eight-year livelihoods programme to benefit 6.5 million poorest and most vulnerable people living on chars (sand islands) in the river areas in northern Bangladesh.
	54 million over five years for the Government's State-owned Enterprise Reform Programme jointly funded by the World Bank to help reduce the Government's fiscal deficit and help free up resources for poverty reduction programmes.
	36 million to support road maintenance to allow better access for the poor to markets.
	25 million together with Royal Netherlands embassy for financial management reform in the Ministry of Finance.
	$13 million (8 million) together with the United Nations Development Programme to the Government of Bangladesh programme to improve the performance and professionalism of the police force.

Iraq

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the total cost of aid to Iraq has been since March 2003, broken down by main area of expenditure.

Hilary Benn: Since March 2003, DFID has disbursed 254 million for humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Iraq. This is broken down as follows:
	
		
			   million 
		
		
			 UN Agencies in response to their 2003 Emergency Appeals 84 
			 Red Cross and Red Crescent movement 18 
			 Reconstruction in Southern Iraq 35 
			 Government, Justice, Media and Civil Society 9 
			 DFID secondments and consultants to the Coalition  Provisional Authority 24 
			 International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI) 70 
			 Other multilateral contributions 9 
			 Support for NGO projects 5 
		
	
	A further 86 million has been committed to projects which are in the process of implementation.
	DFID also provides 19 per cent. of European Community (EC) funding for Iraq (this is currently 38 million for 2003 and 2004).
	Reconstruction support to Iraq has also been provided by other Government Departments: The FCO38 million for secondments to the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA); MOD20 million for Quick Impact Projects (QIPs); and the joint DFID/FCO/MOD Global Conflict Prevention Pool19 million.

Malaria

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding was allocated by his Department and its agencies for the control of malaria in each year between 19992000 and 200405, broken down by (a) country, (b) global region and (c) recipient organisation; and what such funding has been allocated for each financial year to 200910.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: UK support to malaria control is provided through funding to: bilateral programmes at country level; global partnerships and programmes; multilateral agencies; and research agencies.
	Funding at country and regional level
	At country-level DFID supports malaria control through bilateral programmes. Some of these are malaria specific, but increasingly DFID funds the broader health sector plans of developing country governments through sector wide programming and poverty reduction budget support. Such sectoral programmes will build capacity in health systems to improve the way health services diagnose and treat all main causes of illness. It is therefore not always possible to identify the proportion spent on malaria. From 199899 to date UK support at country level to specific malaria programmes was about 58 million. In addition we have provided approximately 49 million for projects targeted on malaria and other diseases or which may have an impact on malaria control. This funding is part of over 1.5 billion committed by the UK to strengthening developing country health systems since 1997.
	Funding to organisations at international level
	DFID has contributed about 153 million from 199899 to date to international programmes which target malaria and other diseases. In addition we also provide funding to multilateral organisations such as the World Bank and the European Commission which also support malaria control and health services.
	DFID has committed funding to a number of global health partnerships, multilaterals, research agencies, and public-private partnerships. These current and future commitments are set out in table A as follows. These figures are not broken down by year.
	
		Table A
		
			  From  Organisation Amount ( million) 
		
		
			 200306 Medicines for Malaria Venture 3 
			 200508 Wellcome TrustMedicines for Malaria Venture 5 
			 200306 GlaxoSmithKline/World Health Organisation and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (lapdap) 0.5 
			 19992005 Liverpool School of Tropical MedicineKnowledge Programme 2.7 
			 19992005 London School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineKnowledge Programme 2.9 
			 19982004 Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and London School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineMalaria  Consortium 3.7 
			 200511 Research Programme Consortia on Communicable Disease (3)10 
			 200108 Global Fund for AIDS Tuberculosis and Malaria (approx. 31 per cent. allocated to malaria) 259 
			 19982005 Roll Back Malaria Partnership 48.5 
		
	
	(3) Up to.

Relief Initiatives (HIPC)

Patrick Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to encourage greater gender equality in heavily indebted poor countries.

Hilary Benn: In order to qualify for debt relief under the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative, all HIPCs are required to develop a poverty reduction strategy paper. DFID works to ensure that gender issues are included in the analysis of poverty and that women are fully involved in stakeholder consultations on poverty reduction strategies. DFID has recently renewed its commitment to assisting partner governments to strengthen their capacity to analyse gender issues in policy formulation, implementation and monitoring.

Rwanda

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid the UK provided to Rwanda (a) bilaterally and (b) multilaterally in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The United Kingdom (UK) has provided bilateral aid to Rwanda since the UK financial year 199697 as follows:
	
		
			  Total (000) 
		
		
			 199697 9,704 
			 199798 61,98 
			 199899 (4)19,242 
			 19992000 14,295 
			 200001 32,708 
			 200102 27,027 
			 200203 32,345 
			 200304 26,934 
			 Total 204,603 
		
	
	(4) Includes 5.6 million from the Multilateral Debt Trust Fund for Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that was paid to Government of Rwanda but charged to DRC framework.
	Source:
	Statistics on International Development2004 Edition
	The UK is also a principal contributor to the major multilaterals working in Rwanda. The UK contribution to multilateral work in Rwanda for the years 1997 to 2002 is set out as follows:
	
		
			  European Commission United Nations World Bank Other Total (000) 
		
		
			 1997 4,000 -1,400 2,100 100 4,800 
			 1998 2,400 700 3,900 1,200 8,100 
			 1999 3,200 900 0 900 4,900 
			 2000 7,300 1,000 1,400 100 9,800 
			 2001 5,300 700 5,100 1,100 12,200 
			 2002 3,400 800 0 500 4,700 
			 Total 25,600 2,700 12,500 3,900 44,700 
		
	
	Source:
	Imputed Multilateral Shares of UK Aid (Development Assistance Committee)
	The relevant figures for 2003 and 2004 are not yet available.

Asian Tsunami

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  how much public funds the Government have pledged to tsunami relief and reconstruction; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what the Government's policy is on the proportion of Government support to the level of public donations to the tsunami appeal.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The public has responded with remarkable generosity to this disaster and I commend the individuals, groups, organisations and communities who have contributed to this overwhelming response. We estimate that the Government will be contributing approximately 50 million through tax relief on public donations made through the Gift Aid Scheme.
	The Department for International Development (DFID) has committed 75 million for the immediate relief and recovery needs following the tsunami (over 61 million of which has already been programmed).
	We have also agreed debt relief for Sri Lanka through the Multilateral Debt relief initiative, which will amount to approximately 45 million. Together with other G7 donors we have also agreed to defer debt payments during 2005 for tsunami affected countries which request it.
	We expect to contribute more money over time for longer-term reconstruction. However, our response will be guided by the findings of needs assessments of the affected countries currently being finalised, and the level of resources which are already available to the affected countries, rather than by linking the Government's contribution to that of the British public. We are continuing to work hard with partner governments and the international community to ensure that support reaches those most affected by the disaster.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Childcare Vouchers

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what requirement there is on public sector organisations to offer childcare vouchers to their staff; and if she will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	There is no obligation on any employer to offer childcare vouchers. That includes employers in the public sector. However, the Government actively encourages all employers to support employees with their childcare needs, particularly through the introduction from April 2005 of tax and National Insurance Contributions (NICs) exemptions for up to 50 of childcare costs per week.

Children in Care

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children were taken into care as a result of a parent being sent to prison in the last year for which figures are available.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 10 March 2005
	The information is not collected centrally.

Cross-border Tracking

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what cross-border tracking of children on the at risk register takes place between the relevant authorities in England and Wales.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 4 March 2005
	A central child protection register is maintained for each area covered by a social services department in England and Wales. The register lists all the children in the area (including those who have been placed there by another local authority or agency) who are considered to be at continuing risk of significant harm.
	When a child on the register moves to another local authority area the authority where the child has been living must notify the receiving local authority of the child's move. The receiving local authority should convene a child protection conference within 15 working days of being notified of the move.
	The Information Sharing Indexes currently under development aim to help children moving area by enabling better communication between professionals in different areas so that services in their new area can identify which services the children were receiving in their old area. We are working with the Welsh Assembly to establish data standards to support information transfer between English and Welsh Authorities.

Departmental Policies

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her policy is on access by hon. Members to the chief executives of public bodies for which her Department is responsible to discuss the effects in individual constituencies of policy decisions made on a national basis; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Hon. Members can approach the chief executives of public bodies as they wish, about any issues that are of concern to them and that are relevant to the public body.

Disability Discrimination Bill

Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans the Government have to monitor the compliance of schools with the duty to promote equal opportunities under the Disability Discrimination Bill.

Margaret Hodge: Our plans for monitoring how schools promote equality of opportunity for disabled people will be implemented in the following ways: our current arrangements for monitoring the quality of provision generally will include inspecting against the duty to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people. Second we will ensure inspections carried out by Office for Standards in Education will inspect this aspect. Third the rights of disabled people will be reflected in the arrangements we are developing as part of the New Relationship with Schools, including school self-evaluation, and finally our powers to support and challenge schools will enable us to monitor complains with the new duty.

Education Funding (Tamworth)

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total expenditure on the Sure Start scheme has been in Tamworth in each year since the scheme has been in operation.

Margaret Hodge: Sure Start Tamworth is a round 4 Sure Start local programme which received approval in November 2001. It has a capital allocation of 1 million. Its revenue allocations were: 115,000 in 200102, 404,000 in 200203, 599,000 in 200304 and 613,975 in 200405. We have just written to the programme announcing its future revenue allocations of 629,324 in 200506 and the same amount in 200607.
	The programme has 619 children aged 4 and under in its catchment area, which covers the wards of Glascote and Belgrave. This area represents the highest level of multiple deprivation within Tamworth. Glascote ward falls wholly within the 20 per cent. band of deprived wards in England and ranks as the fifth most deprived ward in Staffordshire according to the 2000 index of local deprivation.
	The programme has used its capital for two builds, the Exley Centre based in Belgrave which has focused on the refurbishment of a Community Centre providing a much needed central point for families in that area. This centre has recently received Ofsted approval to deliver 16 full day-care places. The Glascote Centre based in Glascote Heath is a new build currently registered for 24 full day-care places and providing a base for family support, training, health provision and Jobcentre plus links.
	The programme has made strong links with health and employs a midwife and a public health promotion co-ordinator within the programme. This had led to some unique service developmentsthe programme run a very successful food co-operative and provide families with 'healthy meal bags' which can be purchased for minimal costs but provide a family with all of the ingredients for a healthy, nutritious meal. The success of this project has led to the development of the 'Glascote Soup Kitchen' involving families in the preparation and consumption of nutritious meals, also providing an opportunity for parents to drop in and access not only healthy eating advice, but discuss wider issues with Family Support Workers and Health Advisors.
	The Programme has also developed a very successful training and volunteer programmewith parents currently engaged at all levelsfrom basic first aid through to a familiarisation course with Staffordshire University. There are also clear links with Jobcentre plus, with on-going training for Sure Start staff on in-work benefit calculations and back to work support and guided visits (supported by the Child Care Partnership Manager) to the local Jobcentre plus office for parents wishing to return to work.

National Children's Bureau

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding her Department provided to the National Children's Bureau in 200405.

Margaret Hodge: The Department has allocated a total of 978,000 in funding to the National Children's Bureau in 200405.

Section 52 Budget Statements

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the expenditure from section 52 budget statements of each local education authority in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) total education revenue expenditure, (b) total schools budget and (c) individual schools budget; and what percentage of the expenditure under section 52 budget statements this represented in each case.

Stephen Twigg: The information requested is contained within a table which has been placed in the Library.

Special Educational Needs

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how funding of special educational needs provision is made available through the Learning and Skills Council.

Margaret Hodge: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) allocates funds to local education authorities (LEAs) in England to help support them meet their duty to arrange suitable provision for young people aged 1619 with statements of special educational needs (SEN). The LSC notify LEAs of their post-16 SEN allocations in December for the following financial year.

Vetting

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the countries referred to in her Department's recent letter (reference 881/6026) to schools where (a) it is not possible to carry out a meaningful Criminal Records Bureau check on foreign nationals and (b) a certificate of good conduct may be obtained for applicants applying for posts working with children.

Margaret Hodge: My Department's letter of 9 February 2005 advised independent schools of the need to carry out checks on foreign nationals in line with the guidance given in DfES publication 0278/2002.
	This guidance about pre-appointment checks on teachers and other workers in schools was issued to all employers in the education service in May 2002 and advises that, if a person who they intend to appoint to work in a school has never lived in the UK, no purpose will be served by asking them to apply for a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Disclosure when they come to this country.
	The Bureau's Overseas Information Service provides advice to employers on the availability of criminal record information from overseas. The service currently covers 16 countries (Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Poland, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, Malaysia, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, Italy (excluding Vatican City) and Finland). The CRB is in discussions with the 10 accession countries to the European Union and aims to provide information through the Overseas Information Service about the criminal record information available from these countries within the near future.
	Where criminal record information is not available, we recommend that employers take extra care in taking up references and carrying out other checks on a person's background.

Youth Green Paper

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she expects the Green Paper on Young People to be published; whether there are issues which are expected to cause further delays in publication; and if she will make a statement on the reasons for the delays that have occurred so far.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 8 March 2005
	The Youth Green Paper will set out a comprehensive offer for young people covering three main areas: things to do and places to go; targeted support for young people at risk; and universal information and support for young people and their parents. It will be published shortly.

DEFENCE

Clothing Contracts

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 22 February 2005, Official Report, columns 59899W, on clothing contracts, what the terms of the contract are which prevent him from specifically commenting on sub-contractor details.

Adam Ingram: It is assumed my hon. Friend refers specifically to the cut and sew contract awarded by the Ministry of Defence.
	Defence Contract Condition (DefCon) 531, which is applied to the cut and sew contract, states that information cannot be disclosed without the consent of the Prime Contractor. There is also a Condition, regarding publicity, which allows for external communication by mutual consent only. These Conditions complement and are based upon the Code of Practice agreed between MOD and its suppliers.

Correspondence

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will reply to the letter of 29 November 2004 from the hon. Member for West Chelmsford, ref 05963/2004.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 3 March 2005
	I replied to the hon. Member on 10 March 2005.

Dean May

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what disciplinary measures were taken against Staff Sergeant Dean May following his conviction for manslaughter at Winchester Crown court in July 2002; and what his rank was before discharge from the Army.

Ivor Caplin: Staff Sergeant May was found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence at Winchester Crown court and was fined 1,500. No further action was taken against him in relation to this case. A Serviceman is not liable to be tried by court-martial or by his commanding officer for the same, or substantially the same, offence for which he has been tried in a competent civil court. Staff Sergeant May continues to serve in the Army.

Harrier Aircraft

John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of current work on the Harrier GR7 to GR9 conversion and majors is being undertaken at (a) RAF Cottesmore and (b) BAE Warton; and at what cost.

Adam Ingram: 16 Harrier GR7 aircraft are currently undergoing joint upgrade and maintenance at RAF Cottesmore at a cost of 20.7 million.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 February 2005, Official Report, column 802W.

Harrier Aircraft

John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of work on the Harrier GR7 to GR9 conversion and majors was previously scheduled to be undertaken by the Defence Aviation Repair Agency.

Adam Ingram: No scheduling was planned before the decision to roll-forward the Harrier air depth maintenance support to RAF Cottesmore was made in March 2004.

Jaguar Aircraft

John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to extend the in-service life of the Jaguar.

Adam Ingram: None. As announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on the 21 July 2004, Official Report, columns 343 to 366 the final Jaguar squadron will be disbanded in 2007.

Mark 8 Mod 1 Gun

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the cost was of retrofitting the Mark 8 Mod 1 gun to HMS Gloucester; and when he expects the vessel to be decommissioned;
	(2)  which (a) Batch 3 Type-42 and (b) Batch 2 Type-42 destroyers are to be retrofitted with the Mark 8 Mod 1 gun; and what the timetable is for the fitting.

Adam Ingram: HMS Gloucester is fitted with the 4.5 Mark 8 Mod 0 gun and there are no plans to retrofit her with the updated Mark 8 Mod 1 gun. On current plans she will be decommissioned in 2010.
	Two Batch 3 Type 42 destroyers, HMS York and HMS Edinburgh were recently fitted with the Mark 8 Mod 1 gun as part of their scheduled upkeep work. There are no plans to retrofit the gun to any other Batch 2 or Batch 3 Type 42s.

Nuclear Warheads

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the UK Government are undertaking research into the miniaturisation of nuclear warheads.

Geoff Hoon: No.

Nuclear Warheads

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on Government policy on the (a) deployment and (b) targeting of United Kingdom nuclear warheads.

Geoff Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to the 1998 Strategic Defence Review, particularly Chapter Four and Supporting Essay Five.

Oil Tankers

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many single-hulled tankers are (a) owned and (b) chartered by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

Adam Ingram: A total of nine single-hulled tankers are currently in service with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Seven of these vessels are owned and the remaining two vessels are chartered.

RAF Aston Down

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list representations he has received in the last 12 months regarding the sale details of RAF Aston Down.

Ivor Caplin: In the last six months, Ministry of Defence has received three written requests for information on the sale details of RAF Aston Down. The first letter was sent in September 2004, and subsequent requests were made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Personal details of the correspondent are being withheld under the Data Protection Act.

Recruitment (Scotland)

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on armed forces recruitment in Scotland.

Ivor Caplin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 125W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Govan (Mr. Sarwar).

Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will reply to the letter about the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers which was sent to him by the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham on 8 December 2004.

Adam Ingram: I replied to the hon. Member on 11 March 2005.

Scottish Infantry Training

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where the training centre for the Scottish infantry soldiers is to be located.

Ivor Caplin: holding answer 14 March 2005
	All Infantry training is conducted at the Infantry Training Centre (ITC) at Catterick. There are no plans for Scottish Infantry recruits to be trained anywhere else in the UK apart from at ITC Catterick.

Sierra Leone

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of the military operation in Sierra Leone in 2001 was; and how many UK troops were involved.

Adam Ingram: The cost to the Ministry of Defence of military operations in Sierra Leone during 200001 was 16.9 million.
	At its peak in May 2000 there were 4,500 personnel deployed in Sierra Leone on Operation Palliser.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will list the occasions between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004 when special advisers attended meetings with external representatives at which Ministers were not present;
	(2)  if he will list the speeches his special advisers made in an official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004, broken down by date.

Ivor Caplin: Ministry of Defence special advisers have many regular meetings with a wide variety of external bodies as a routine part of their duties. All meetings held by departmental special advisers are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.
	All speeches given by special advisers are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.

Trident

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answers to the hon. Members for North Tayside (Pete Wishart) and for Banff and Buchan (Mr. Salmond), of 2 March 2005, Official Report, column 1234W, on Trident, whether he has made an estimate of potential casualties in the west of Scotland arising from a catastrophic malfunction of a Trident nuclear warhead at the base on the Clyde that leads to a nuclear yield; and whether he has made an estimate of potential casualties in the west of Scotland arising from a malfunction of a Trident nuclear warhead at the base on the Clyde that resulted in a radioactive release short of a nuclear yield into (a) the atmosphere and (b) the Firth of Clyde.

Geoff Hoon: There is no requirement under Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001 to assess the number of potential casualties arising from a malfunction of a Trident nuclear warhead at the base on the Clyde and no estimates have therefore been made. However, it is highly unlikely that any catastrophic malfunction of a Trident warhead, resulting in a radioactive release into the atmosphere or the Firth of Clyde, would occur.

Trident

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at what times in each of the last four years emergency services have been called to handle (a) fire, (b) smoke and (c) electrical malfunction at the Explosives Handling Jetty at the Royal Naval Armament Depot at Coulport on Loch Long; and on which of these occasions nuclear material was within (i) 50 yards, (ii) 100 yards and (iii) 500 yards of the incident.

Adam Ingram: Since March 2001, there have been eight occasions when smoke or electrical malfunction has led to the Defence Fire Service (DFS) being called to the Explosives Handling Jetty (EHJ) at the Royal Naval Armament Depot at Coulport on Loch Long. There have been no fires. All incidents were addressed promptly and none posed a threat to personnel, submarines, the facility or nuclear material.
	
		
			 Date Incident Nuclear material 
		
		
			 April 2001 Smell of burning. False alarm. None 
			 May 2001 Electrical malfunction. Smoke. Submarine within 50 yards 
			 October 2002 Electrical malfunction. Smoke. None 
			 October 2002 Smoke from vehicle engine. None 
			 March 2003 Electrical Malfunction. Smoke. None 
			 April 2003 Smell of burning. Overheating battery. None 
			 August 2004 Electrical Malfunction. Smoke. Submarine within 50 yards 
			 September 2004 Smell of burning. False alarm. Submarine within 100 yards 
		
	
	The EHJ is fitted with a comprehensive and sensitive fire detection system which reflects the value of the facility and the activities undertaken there. Flammable material is strictly controlled and constitutes only a small percentage of the EHJ construction. A vigorous precautionary approach is taken to all alarm triggers and all are attended by the on-site Defence Fire Service (DFS).
	Nuclear material is strictly controlled throughout the Depot and is not stored on the EHJ. While nuclear material onboard a submarine is likely to be within 100 yards of the EHJ, any fire on the jetty would present negligible hazard to the onboard nuclear material because submarine design limits the risk from external hazards.

Trident

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the operational costs of (a) the UK nuclear warhead programme, (b) the Trident submarine programme and (c) the warhead delivery system were in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The combined capital and running costs of the United Kingdom nuclear warhead programme, the Trident submarine programme and the warhead delivery system was around 3 per cent. of the annual defence budget for financial year 200304. The total cost for the current financial year is not yet available.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Animal Experimentation

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many licences he has issued in each of the last five years to Wickham Research Laboratories for the purposes of experiments on live animals; what the aims of the experiments were; what species of animals were involved; how many animals were involved; what the level of severity of the experiments was; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: It is an offence under section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 for anyone with functions under the Act to disclose information given to them in confidence. I am therefore only prepared to provide information of the type requested with the agreement of the establishment concerned.
	On that basis I am able to confirm no more than that the named establishment currently holds three project licences granted under the 1986 Act, that it undertakes safety and quality assurance testing of medicines and other healthcare products, and that the species it uses are rats, rabbits, mice and guinea pigs.

Asylum Seekers

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many appeals against initial decision have been filed by asylum seekers in each year since 1992.

Charles Clarke: The information is published in the annual and quarterly asylum statistics, available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website.

Asylum Seekers

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of asylum seekers have appealed against their initial decision in each year since 1992.

Charles Clarke: The information requested is published in the annual asylum statistics bulletin Asylum Statistics United Kingdom, available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website.

Asylum Seekers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of asylum cases, including final appeal, were decided within six months in 2004.

Des Browne: Information on the proportion of new substantive asylum applications in 2004, that were decided, including final appeal, within six months, is not yet available. Information relating to applications made in 2004 will be available in August 2005.
	Information on the timeliness of asylum cases is published in the quarterly asylum statistics on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Asylum Seekers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of failed asylum seekers were removed in 2004.

Des Browne: It is not possible to know what exactly proportion of applications made in 2004 will prove to be unfounded, or will eventually result in removal. Some applications made in 2004 are still awaiting the outcome of initial decisions or of appeals. Other cases are in the process of removal, can, in certain cases, create a number of barriers, for example the length of time it takes to obtain documentation to allow individuals to be accepted back by their countries of origin. Many failed applicants may either leave the UK voluntarily without advising the Home Office, or seek to evade the Home Office in order to try to avoid removal, or come from countries where removal is very difficult due to the situation in the country (e.g. Iraq).
	The level of asylum applications has continued to fall. There were 33,930 applications for asylum, excluding dependants, in the UK in 2004, a third fewer than in 2003.
	Information on the numbers of asylum applications and removals of failed asylum seekers is published in the quarterly asylum statistics on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Asylum Seekers

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications have been made by his Department to the Iranian Government for passports or other travel documentation to facilitate the repatriation of failed asylum seekers in each of the last six months; and what the average time between the application and the delivery of such documentation has been over that period.

Des Browne: holding answer 8 March 2005
	Applications for travel documents to facilitate return are made by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND). Internal statistics show that, over the last six months, IND has applied for a total of 24 Iranian travel documents.
	Of the 24 applications for travel documents made by IND, none have as yet been issued by the Iranian authorities.

Asylum Seekers

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many failed asylum seekers have been compulsorily returned to Iran in each of the last six months.

Des Browne: holding answer 8 March 2005
	The latest available information on the number of failed asylum seekers who have been returned to Iran shows that in the six months from July to December 2004, 30 persons were removed. A breakdown by month is shown in the table.
	
		Persons removed from the United Kingdom to Iran in each of the last six months of 2004(5)(5507540006)
		
			  Persons removed 
		
		
			 July 5 
			 August 5 
			 September 5 
			 October 5 
			 November 10 
			 December 5 
			 Total 30 
		
	
	(5) Persons who had sought asylum at some stage, including dependants.
	(6) Excluding persons leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes run by the International Organisation for Migration and other voluntary departures.
	Notes:
	These figures are based on management information and are not National Statistics; the data are also provisional and are rounded to the nearest five and may not sum due to rounding.

Asylum Seekers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what recent progress has been made towards the public service agreement target to focus the asylum system on those genuinely fleeing persecution by taking speedy, high quality decisions and reducing significantly unfounded asylum claims;
	(2)  what recent progress has been made towards the public service agreement target to ensure the fast turnaround of manifestly unfounded asylum cases;
	(3)  whether the public service agreement target to ensure that 75 per cent. of substantive asylum applications are decided within two months by 2004 was met;
	(4)  what recent progress has been made towards the public service agreement target to enforce the immigration laws more effectively by removing a greater proportion of failed asylum seekers;
	(5)  what recent progress has been made towards the public service agreement target to reduce unfounded asylum claims;
	(6)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to tackle abuse of the immigration laws and promote controlled legal migration.

Des Browne: Performance against my Department's targets is published in the Annual Report and the Autumn Performance Report available in the House Library and on the Home Office website (www.homeoffice.gov.uk).

Begging (Children)

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions under the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 there have been of individuals for procuring a child to beg in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The available information contained in the table gives the number of offenders found guilty at all courts for
	causing a child or young person to be in any street, etc., for purpose of begging
	under the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, Section 4, England and Wales 1990 to 2003.
	Statistics on court proceedings for 2004 will be published in the autumn.
	
		Number of offenders found guilty at all courts for the employment of children for begging(7) England and Wales 1990 to 2003
		
			  Found guilty 
		
		
			 1990 5 
			 1991 6 
			 1992 19 
			 1993 25 
			 1994 11 
			 1995 31 
			 1996 29 
			 1997 29 
			 1998 57 
			 1999 121 
			 2000 44 
			 2001 16 
			 2002 9 
			 2003 28 
		
	
	(7) These data are on the principal offence basis.

Control Orders

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment his Department has made of the effect the operation of Control Orders will have on the families of those subject to the orders.

Charles Clarke: The implications for the family of someone subject to a Control Order will vary depending on the particular conditions imposed on the individual.

Correspondence

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Northavon dated 11 January (Home Office ref: B1020/5) regarding a constituent, Mr. Peter Tippett.

Des Browne: holding answer 4 March 2005
	The Immigration and Nationality Directorate replied to the hon. Member on 2 March 2005.

Fixed Penalty Notices

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fixed penalty notice offences have been issued for each basic command unit in England and Wales for (a) selling alcohol to a person under 18, (b) the purchase of alcohol for a person under 18 on licensed premises, (c) the consumption of alcohol by a person under 18 and (d) allowing delivery of alcohol to a person under 18.

Charles Clarke: The total number of penalty notices issued for these offences for the period January to November 2004 is 61. The table details the available information for each police force area in England and Wales broken down by offence. Purchase of alcohol for a person under 18 on licensed premises has been broken down into the offence committed in a bar and that in licensed premises as the latter was only added to the scheme from 1 November to target off licence offences. Data are collected centrally at police force level only.
	Penalty notice disposal provides the police with a quick and effective way of dealing with this type of minor offence without the need to prosecute. As four of these offences only became liable to disposal by penalty notice from 1 November, the number of offenders dealt with in this way will rise significantly.
	The Christmas Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign ran from 17 December 2004 to 3 January 2005 involving 188 Borough Command Units. Data from the campaign show that 72 penalty notices were issued for offences connected with selling alcohol to persons under 18, 32 in connection with on-licences and 40 in connection with off-licences.
	
		Penalty notices for disorder issued relating to buying, selling etc alcohol to persons under 18 in England and Wales during January to November 2004, by police force area (Provisional figures) -- Number
		
			  Offence breakdown 
			 Police force area Selling alcohol to person under 18(8) Purchasing alcohol in licensed premises for person under 18(8) Delivering alcohol to person under 18(8) 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset
			 Bedfordshire
			 Cambridgeshire
			 Cheshire  1  
			 Cleveland  1  
			 Cumbria
			 Derbyshire
			 Devon and Cornwall
			 Dorset 5   
			 Durham
			 Essex
			 Gloucestershire
			 Greater Manchester  1  
			 Hampshire  1  
			 Hertfordshire   1 
			 Humberside 2   
			 Kent
			 Lancashire  1  
			 Leicestershire  1  
			 Lincolnshire
			 London, City of
			 Merseyside
			 Metropolitan police   1 
			 Norfolk
			 Northamptonshire
			 Northumbria 1   
			 North Yorkshire
			 Nottinghamshire
			 South Yorkshire
			 Staffordshire  1  
			 Suffolk
			 Surrey
			 Sussex
			 Thames Valley(9)
			 Warwickshire
			 West Mercia
			 West Midlands
			 West Yorkshire 2   
			 Wiltshire
			 Dyfed-Powys
			 Gwent
			 North Wales
			 South Wales
			 Total 10 7 2 
		
	
	
		Number
		
			  Offence breakdown 
			 Police force area Purchasing alcohol for consumption in a bar in licensed premises for person under 18 Allowing consumption of alcohol by a person under 18 in bar in licensed premises(8) Total PNDs issued relating to buying, selling etc alcohol to persons under 18 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset
			 Bedfordshire
			 Cambridgeshire
			 Cheshire 1  2 
			 Cleveland 2  3 
			 Cumbria
			 Derbyshire 1  1 
			 Devon and Cornwall  1 1 
			 Dorset   5 
			 Durham
			 Essex 1  1 
			 Gloucestershire
			 Greater Manchester 2 2 5 
			 Hampshire 3  4 
			 Hertfordshire   1 
			 Humberside   2 
			 Kent 2  2 
			 Lancashire 5  6 
			 Leicestershire 1  2 
			 Lincolnshire
			 London, City of
			 Merseyside 8  8 
			 Metropolitan police 2  3 
			 Norfolk
			 Northamptonshire 1  1 
			 Northumbria   1 
			 North Yorkshire
			 Nottinghamshire 2  2 
			 South Yorkshire 2  2 
			 Staffordshire   1 
			 Suffolk
			 Surrey
			 Sussex
			 Thames Valley(9) 1  1 
			 Warwickshire
			 West Mercia
			 West Midlands 2  2 
			 West Yorkshire   2 
			 Wiltshire
			 Dyfed-Powys
			 Gwent
			 North Wales 3  3 
			 South Wales
			 Total 39 3 61 
		
	
	(8) New offence added to PND scheme from 1 November 2004.
	(9) January to October only.

Immigration (Illegal Working)

Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many employers (a) were investigated between 27 January and 10 February 2003 and (b) have been investigated since 10 February 2003 for offences related to alleged intended or actual employment of illegal workers or facilitation of illegal immigration or other immigration-related offences (i) under the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996, (ii) under the Nationality, Asylum and Immigration Act 2002 and (iii) under other legislation; how many were prosecuted; how many were convicted; and what the (A) minimum, (B) average and (C) maximum sentences imposed were, broken down by offence.

Des Browne: Internal management information shows that in the financial year 200203 301 illegal working operations were reported as having taken place; as a result of these, 1,099 offenders were detected. In the year 200304, 697 operations were reported and 2,304 offenders were detected. It is not possible to break down this information into the periods requested.
	The latest available information on the number of persons proceeded against for offences under Immigration Acts 1971 to 2002 in England and Wales in the periods requested, together with the penalties imposed, is shown in the table.
	Official statistics on the number of people proceeded against during 2004 will be published in autumn 2005 in the Home Office Command Paper Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 2004. This will be available from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html
	
		Number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts, convicted at all courts and sentence breakdown for offences of facilitation under Immigration Acts 1971 to 1996 in England and Wales, 27 January to 10 February 2003 and 11 February to 31 December 2003(10)
		
			   27 January to 10 February 2003 
			   Sentence type 
			   Offence description   Principal statute  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Total sentenced Absolute/ condition discharge   Fine  Community sentence 
		
		
			 Knowingly facilitating the entry of an illegal entrant Immigration Act 1971 S.25(1)(a) as amended by Asylum  Immigration Act 1996 S.5 13 5 17
			 
			 Knowingly facilitating the entry of an asylum claimant Immigration Act 1971 S.25(1)(b) as amended by Asylum  Immigration Act 1996 S.5 4 1 1  1  
			 
			 Knowingly facilitating leave to remain of persons by means of deception Immigration Act 1971 S.25(1)(c) as amended by Asylum  Immigration Act 1996 S.5   
			 
			 Employing a person subject to immigration control Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 S.8   
		
	
	
		
			   27 January to 10 February 2003 
			   Sentence type Custody length (months) 
			  Offence description  Principal statute Suspended sentence Immediate custody  Minimum  Average  Maximum 
		
		
			 Knowingly facilitating the entry of an illegal entrant Immigration Act 1971 S.25(1)(a) as amended by Asylum  Immigration Act 1996 S.5 2 15 4 11.7 18 
			
			 Knowingly facilitating the entry of an asylum claimant Immigration Act 1971 S.25(1)(b) as amended by Asylum  Immigration Act 1996 S.5  
			
			 Knowingly facilitating leave to remain of persons by means of deception Immigration Act 1971 S.25(1)(c) as amended by Asylum  Immigration Act 1996 S.5  
			
			 Employing a person subject to immigration control Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 S.8  
		
	
	
		
			   11 February to 31 December 2003 
			   Sentence type 
			   Offence description   Principal statute  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Total sentenced Absolute/ condition discharge   Fine  Community sentence 
		
		
			 Knowingly facilitating the entry of an illegal entrant Immigration Act 1971 S.25(1)(a) as amended by Asylum  Immigration Act 1996 S.5 192 138 186 4 1 3 
			 
			 Knowingly facilitating the entry of an asylum claimant Immigration Act 1971 S.25(1)(b) as amended by Asylum  Immigration Act 1996 S.5 10 5 4   1 
			 
			 Knowingly facilitating leave to remain of persons by means of deception Immigration Act 1971 S.25(1)(c) as amended by Asylum  Immigration Act 1996 S.5 8 9 9 1  1 
			 Employing a person subject to immigration control Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 S.8 2 1 1  1  
		
	
	
		
			   11 February to 31 December 2003 
			   Sentence type Custody length (months) 
			  Offence description  Principal statute Suspended sentence Immediate custody  Minimum  Average  Maximum 
		
		
			 Knowingly facilitating the entry of an illegal entrant Immigration Act 1971 S.25(1)(a) as amended by Asylum  Immigration Act 1996 S.5 9 169 2 16.3 84 
			
			 Knowingly facilitating the entry of an asylum claimant Immigration Act 1971 S.25(1)(b) as amended by Asylum  Immigration Act 1996 S.5  3 9 19 36 
			
			 Knowingly facilitating leave to remain of persons by means of deception Immigration Act 1971 S.25(1)(c) as amended by Asylum  Immigration Act 1996 S.5  7 3 13.7 42 
			
			 Employing a person subject to immigration control Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 S.8  
		
	
	(10) Principal immigration offence.

Tuberculosis (UK Entrants)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is taken if an individual is tested on entry to the UK and found to have tuberculosis.

Charles Clarke: Cases of tuberculosis (TB), which are identified at the ports are currently followed up within the United Kingdom by the national health service. This is because refusal of entry and summary removal on grounds of public health would put the person concerned and other passengers at risk.
	Under the new approach announced in our recent asylum and immigration strategy, we will apply TB checks overseas, rather than at the port of entry, thus ensuring that TB is treated before the person concerned travels to the UK.

Laptop Computers

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which suppliers service his Department's laptop computers; what the (a) length and (b) total value of each contract is; how many laptop computers are covered by each contract; what the annual or monthly charge per laptop for servicing them is; what the tariff for services not covered by the general servicing agreement is; which such additional services have been purchased; and in what quantities.

Charles Clarke: Sirius (Fujitsu Alcedo Ltd.) is responsible for providing the remote access laptops service for the Core Home Office. The length of the contract remaining is five years 359 days. The total value of the contract based on current usage is 3,368,617. The contract is based on variable demand with an upper limit of 9,999. We currently have 1,127 users.
	The monthly charge per laptop for A4 size is 162.93 and for A5 size is 158.19. This includes the supply of laptop, network infrastructure, ongoing support including break fix and technology refresh of infrastructure and laptop.
	Enhancements to the base remote access service are:
	Standard docking service. This service enables the laptop to be plugged in and used as standard workstation in the office. The service charge is 22.73 per month per workstation for first 472 and 61.62 per month per workstation for more than 473. The current demand is 87.
	ISDN Adaptor. The charge is 5.37 per adaptor per month. The current demand is 177.
	Additional multi-user. This allows the sharing of one laptop with up to 10 users at a charge of 16.44 per month additional user with password access to a particular laptop. The current number of users sharing is 445.

Leave to Remain Applications

David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received from the English language school industry in the UK on his proposals to increase the cost of Leave to Remain applications from international students; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: Since 1 September 2004 I have received 12 letters from MPs on behalf of the English language school industry. The following organisations responded to the Home Office Consultation Charges for Immigration Applications, which closed on 8 December 2004: English UK, Association of English Language Teaching Centres, British Council Accredited English Language Schools for Adults, the London School of English, and the Wimbledon School of English.
	An assessment of the impact of the charges on the English language sector was published in a regulatory impact assessment on 7 February 2005 and is available on the Home Office website: www.ind.homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk.

Metropolitan Police Authority

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what meetings he has had with Sir Ian Blair to discuss proposed efficiency savings in the Metropolitan Police Authority.

Charles Clarke: It is the duty of police authorities to maintain an effective and efficient police force for their area. I meet the Commissioner and representatives of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) from time to time to discuss a range of matters including efficiency.
	The Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) has a good record of exceeding the annual target for 2 per cent. efficiency gains that has been in place since 19992000. Like all other police authorities in England and Wales, the MPA has been asked to make cumulative efficiency gains of 3 per cent. per year from 200506 to 200708.
	I welcome the service review of the Metropolitan Police announced by the Commissioner supported by the MPA and led by an Assistant Commissioner to carry out and then to implement the review.

Metropolitan Police Authority

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the Metropolitan Police Authority spent on counter-terrorism in each year since 1997, broken down by borough.

Charles Clarke: The information is not available in the form requested. Dedicated Counter Terrorism funding for the Metropolitan Police Service has increased from 47 million in 200203 to 61 million in 200405.

Ministerial Residence

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate has been made of the market value of his official residence.

Charles Clarke: The last valuation was carried out on 31 March 2001 when the property was valued at 1.8 million.

Ministerial Residence

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to move into his official residence.

Charles Clarke: The Prime Minister has agreed that the right hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) can continue to have use of the Home Office official residence while his and the current Home Secretary's security arrangements are reviewed. Appropriate measures will be put in place once this is completed.

Motorway Accidents (HGVs)

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what percentage of accidents resulting in the closure of a motorway in England and Wales and in which a heavy goods vehicle was involved proceedings were subsequently brought against the owner or driver in each of the last five years for which figures are available, excluding ongoing cases.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 8 March 2005
	The information is not collected centrally by the Home Office. Motoring offence statistics do not identify the circumstances in which an offence takes place nor the nature of the vehicle involved.

People Smuggling

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many boats have patrolled UK shores to prevent people smuggling in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) the number and (b) type of boats; how many individuals were employed in this capacity in each year; and what the (i) total and (ii) average time spent on patrol was in each year.

Charles Clarke: The UK Immigration Service mounts joint operations with other agencies on an intelligence led basis, notably HM Customs and Excise.
	HM Customs and Excise have advised that the deployment of their Cutters varies, but that they routinely patrol UK waters. Their Cutters are deployed in a proactive and reactive way, gathering intelligence and enforcing our sea borders.

Population Growth

Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding his Department has earmarked for growth areas to ensure that they have the resources required to meet the demands of a growing population.

Fiona Mactaggart: Several Home Office funding streams will benefit the locations that have been designated as growth areas, as they will other areas of the UK.
	Crime Reduction
	From April 2005, the main funding streams for crime reduction in communities will come under the Safer Stronger Communities Fund. This is a joint fund from the Office for the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) and the Home Office, merging a number of current funding streams, including the Building Safer Communities Fund and the Antisocial Behaviour CDRP Allocation. In 200405, the authorities that cover the growth areas received 11,278,810 from the Building Safer Communities Fund. Funding for local areas in 200506 will be finalised shortly.
	Policing
	The eight police authorities that cover the growth areas will receive a total of 2,824.3 million in general police grants in 200506. Formula grant, which takes into account the relative needs of authorities, consists of:
	Revenue Support Grant;
	Redistributed Business Rates; and
	Police Grant.
	Grant increases for these authorities next year range from the minimum increase of 3.75 per cent. up to almost 6.1 per cent.
	In addition, these authorities will also receive, in 200506, a total of around 295.5 million in specific grant funding for a range of schemes.
	Allocation of these resources is a matter for each chief constable and police authority, who will make decisions according to local plans and operational priorities.
	Antisocial Behaviour
	In February 2005 the Home Office announced that intensive family support will be introduced in 50 TOGETHER antisocial behaviour action areas through a 1.25 million cash boost. The 1.25 million will be split equally between the 50 action areas with each area getting 25,000. The growth areas which will be covered by the scheme are: Harlow, Peterborough, Southend on Sea, Northampton and Hackney.
	Additionally, in 200506 some growth areas will receive funding from ASBU to tackle local issues. Commitments are already in place for the following areas:
	Hackney will receive 106,000 for the Hackney Crackdown project.
	Harlow will receive action area funding of 25,000.
	Peterborough will receive action area funding of 27,800.
	Southend on Sea and Northampton are still to be agreed.
	In 200506, the growth areas named will receive at least 283,800 between them for antisocial behaviour action.
	Tackling Drug Misuse
	Tackling Drug Misuse is a priority of this Government and their policy is set out in the 10-year National Drug Strategy launched in 1998 and updated in December 2002. (A copy of the Updated Drug Strategy 2002 is held in the House Library.) Under this, the Government have invested substantially in measures to reduce the harms caused by illegal drugs, focusing on the four strands of:
	reducing the supply of illegal drugs;
	preventing young people from becoming problematic drug users;
	providing effective treatment to all who need it; and
	reducing drug-related crime.
	Direct annual funding nationally to tackle drug misuse across all four strandsnot only those delivered by the Home Officeamounted to 1,244 million in 200304, rising to 1,344 million in 200405.
	The growth areas have seen a significant increase in direct funding for tackling drugs, in particular for drug treatment services and the throughcare and aftercare elements of the Drugs Intervention Programme. In 200304 the allocation for Drug Action Teams in the growth areas totalled 65.97 million, rising to 85.58 million in 200405. Allocations for Drug Action Teams for 200506 have not yet been agreed, but it is expected that figures will be finalised in early April.
	Details of action taken to tackle drugs in the growth areas can be obtained from the Drugs Action Teams, for contact details see http://www.drugs.gov.uk/Links/DrugActionTeams.

Prisons

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were doubling up in cells designed for single occupancy at the most recent date for which figures are available.

Charles Clarke: holding answer 4 February 2005
	At the end of December 2004,15,786 prisoners were doubled up in cells certified to hold one person.

Sentencing (Violent Crime)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average sentence length for offenders convicted of (a) rape, (b) robbery, (c) sexual assault, (d) grievous bodily harm, (e) actual bodily harm and (f) violence against the person was in each year since 1997; and how many convictions there were in each case in each of those years.

Charles Clarke: The available information is contained in the table and gives the number of offenders found guilty and the average custodial sentence length at all courts for the requested offences, England and Wales 1997 to 2003.
	Statistics on court proceedings for 2004 will be published in the autumn.
	
		Number of offenders found guilty at all courts and the average custodial sentence length received for certain offences(11), England and Wales 1997 to 2003
		
			 Offence  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Rape Found guilty (Number) 618 675 659 598 572 655 673 
			  Average custodial sentence length(12)(months) 78.7 79.8 79.8 83.2 81.1 83.7 86.4 
			  
			 Robbery Found guilty (Number) 5,589 5,542 5,626 5,891 6,822 7,711 7,303 
			  Average custodial sentence length(12)(months) 39.1 35.3 35.7 36.1 35.4 38.9 39.3 
			  
			 Sexual assault(13) Found guilty (Number) 2,963 2,894 2,868 2,633 2,517 2,590 2,467 
			  Average custodial sentence length(12)(months) 24.5 24.8 24.1 24.6 25.4 26.3 26.3 
			  
			 Grievous bodily harm(14) Found guilty (Number) 6,126 6,397 6,004 5,784 5,775 6,134 5,966 
			  Average custodial sentence length(12)(months) 26.1 24.8 25.6 24.9 26.3 26.8 28.9 
			  
			 Actual bodily harm(15) Found guilty (Number) 17,685 18,388 17,337 16,569 14,962 14,904 14,961 
			  Average custodial sentence length(12)(months) 7.8 7.5 7.8 8.0 8.5 9.2 9.2 
			  
			 Violence against the person Found guilty (Number) 34,562 37,050 35,700 35,270 35,298 37,708 38,036 
			  Average custodial sentence length(12)(months) 17.4 16.1 15.7 15.8 16.7 17.6 18.8 
		
	
	(11) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(12) Excludes life sentences.
	(13) Includes: Indecent assault on a male and female.
	(14) Excludes racially and religiously aggravated GBH.
	(15) Excludes racially and religiously aggravated ABH.

Serious Organised Crime Agency

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to assess the effectiveness of the Serious Organised Crime Agency.

Caroline Flint: The Serious Organised Crime Agency and Police Bill provides that the Secretary of State may determine strategic priorities for the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and, where he has done so, he may direct SOCA to establish levels of performance (performance targets) to be aimed at.

Special Constables

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what the average age of serving special constables was, broken down by police force area in 1997;
	(2)  what the average tenure of serving special constables was, broken down by (a) year of entry and (b) police force area in 1997.

Charles Clarke: The information requested is not available.

Staff Identity Passes

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of producing a staff identity pass was in the Department on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many staff identity passes have been reported lost or stolen in each year since 1997.

Charles Clarke: The cost of producing a staff pass in February 2005 was 4.25 per pass (including the cost of the pass and administrative costs).
	The number of Home Office passes reported lost or stolen on the central London and Croydon estates annually is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1998 95 
			 1999 34 
			 2000 89 
			 2001 64 
			 2002 138 
			 2003 291 
			 2004 321 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures for 1997 are not available.

Tetra

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what resources were given to Sussex Constabulary to roll out the commission for Tetra police communication networks in Sussex.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 10 March 2005
	The Home Office has provided funding to Police Authorities for the implementation of the Airwave service. Sussex Police Authority received 4.575 million from the Home Office in 200203 to support installation costs within the force.
	A further 441,000 has been provided during the current financial year and a one-off payment 1.067 million will be paid in 200506 to meet our commitment to provide all forces with sufficient funding to meet their initial costs from when ready for service status has been achieved.

Proceeds of Crime

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is to be taken by (a) his Department and (b) other appropriate authorities to seek to confiscate the money that has been earned by women forced into prostitution in the UK by foreign nationals who have recently been found guilty of the trafficking of women in court cases; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Government have introduced new legislation to enable appropriate authorities to confiscate the proceeds of crime. The Government encourage the police and other agencies to make use of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) at every appropriate opportunity. Under the Act anyone convicted of a criminal offence is liable to confiscation proceedings to recover any proceeds of their criminality. In the absence of a conviction it is open to law enforcement agencies to refer the case to the Assets Recovery Agency to consider civil recovery or taxation proceedings instead. POCA also contains provisions for enabling the seizure of cash where it can be demonstrated that it is from, or intended for use in, crime.
	The Home Office funds Reflex, the multi-agency enforcement taskforce established to tackle organised immigration crime, including human trafficking. Many of the recent court cases have resulted from Reflex supported operations. Confiscating the proceeds of crime is an important part of the reflex strategy and a new dedicated Reflex Financial Investigation Unit has recently been established within the National Crime Squad.
	In addition the Home Office funds five multi agency Regional Asset Recovery Teams to increase the confiscation of the proceeds of crime and tackle money laundering.

Under-age Drinking (London)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have taken place for under-age drinking in each London borough in each year since 1990.

Paul Goggins: There is no specific offence of under-age drinking.
	However, the available information from the Home Office Court Proceedings database, gives the number of defendants aged 1017 years who were proceeded against in each London borough, for offences of being drunk, drunk at a designated sports event and drunk and disorderly together with defendants proceeded against for the offence of:
	Selling etc., intoxicating liquor to persons under 18 for consumption on the premises.
	Figures for 1990 to 2003 are given in the following table. Statistics for 2004 will be available in the autumn.
	In addition, the penalty notice for disorder scheme provides for persons who commit specified penalty offences to be issued with a fixed penalty notice instead of being prosecuted or cautioned. The scheme was extended to 16 and 17-year-olds from 20 January 2004. The second table details the number of penalty notices issued for the listed offences which involve under age drinking. These include offences committed by 16 and 17-year-olds and alcohol offences involving the purchase for, sale or delivery to persons aged under 18 years.
	The penalty notice for disorder scheme has been extended to allow penalty notices to be issued to 10 to 15-year-olds and pilots of these powers are now under way in seven police force areas including the borough of Kingston in the Metropolitan police force area. A further under age drinking offence, purchase of alcohol on licensed premises by a person under 18, is to be added to the scheme as set out in a draft Order laid before Parliament on 17 March.
	
		Persons aged 10 and under 18 proceeded against at magistrates courts for certain alcohol related offences, by London borough 1990 to 2003(16)
		
			 Offence/London borough 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 
		
		
			 Drunk in a highway or other public place, whether a building or not, or on licensed premises 
			 Inner London magistrates courts(17)
			 City of London police
			 Guildhall Justice rooms
			 
			 Metropolitan police
			 Bow Street(18)   1 
			 Camberwell Green/Tower Bridge  2  
			 Greenwich and Woolwich   1 
			 Highbury Corner(19) 1   
			 Horseferry Road   1 
			 Marylebone
			 South Western
			 Thames
			 West London 3   
			 Inner London Juvenile Courts(20) 4  11 
			 
			 Outer London boroughs
			 Metropolitan police
			 Barking and Dagenham
			 Barnet
			 Bexley
			 Brent   1  1   
			 Bromley   1 
			 Croydon   1 
			 Ealing
			 Enfield
			 Haringey
			 Harrow
			 Havering
			 Hillingdon   1 
			 Hounslow 11  1 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 2   1
			 Merton
			 Newham 1   
			 Redbridge
			 Richmond upon Thames
			 Sutton
			 Waltham Forest
			 
			 Total Metropolitan police 3  4 1 3  1 
			 
			 Total Greater London 11 2 8 1 3  2 
		
	
	
		
			 Offence/London borough 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Drunk in a highway or other public place, whether a building or not, or on licensed premises 
			 Inner London magistrates courts(17)
			 City of London police
			 Guildhall Justice rooms
			 
			 Metropolitan police
			 Bow Street(18)
			 Camberwell Green/Tower Bridge3  1  
			 Greenwich and Woolwich
			 Highbury Corner(19)
			 Horseferry Road
			 Marylebone
			 South Western
			 Thames
			 West London  1 1 2 1  1 
			 Inner London Juvenile Courts(20)
			 
			 Outer London boroughs
			 Metropolitan police
			 Barking and Dagenham 2   
			 Barnet
			 Bexley 1  3 
			 Brent
			 Bromley 1   
			 Croydon 1   
			 Ealing 1   
			 Enfield
			 Haringey  1  
			 Harrow
			 Havering 1 1  
			 Hillingdon1
			 Hounslow1 1   
			 Kingston-upon-Thames  1  
			 Merton1 2   
			 Newham
			 Redbridge
			 Richmond upon Thames   1 1 1 1 1 
			 Sutton 1   1  1 1 
			 Waltham Forest
			 
			 Total Metropolitan police 2 1 1 5 10 4 5 
			 
			 Total Greater London 2 2 2 10 11 5 6 
		
	
	(16) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(17) Information held centrally does not allow a breakdown of cases by borough in the Inner London area.
	(18) Includes Marlborough Street 199799.
	(19) Includes Clerkenwell and Hampstead, 199798.
	(20) Cases included with adult courts from 1998 (from 1999 for cases heard at the Crown court).
	
		Number of penalty notices for disorder issued in London(21) for offences relating to alcohol2004 (Provisional figures)
		
			  Offence  Statute Number of notices issued 
		
		
			 Offences committed by juveniles aged 16 and 17 years   
			 Drunk and disorderly Criminal Justice Act 1967, Sec 91 22 
			 Being drunk in a highway, other public place or licensed premises Licensing Act 1872, Sec 12 2 
			 Consumption of alcohol in designated public place Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001, Sec 12  
			 Consumption of alcohol by under 18 in licensed premises(22) Licensing Act 1964, Sec 169E(1)  
			
			 Offences involving the purchase for, sale or delivery to, persons aged under 18 years 
			 Sell alcohol to person under 18(22) Licensing Act 1964, Sec 169A 5 
			 Purchase of alcohol in licensed premises for person under 18(22) Licensing Act 1964, Sec 169C(2)  
			 Purchase of alcohol for consumption in bar of licensed premises for person under 18 Licensing Act 1964, Sec 169C(3) 2 
			 Allowing consumption of alcohol by under 18 in bar of licensed premises(22) Licensing Act 1964, Sec 169E(2)  
			 Delivery of alcohol to person under 18 or allowing delivery(22) Licensing Act 1964, Sec 169F 3 
		
	
	(21) City of London and Metropolitan police force areas.
	(22) Offence added to PND scheme only from 1 November 2004.

Work Permits

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individual work permits were issued in 2004.

Charles Clarke: holding answer 22 February 2005
	181,432 individual work permits were issued in 2004.

Young Offenders Institutions

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) baseline Certified National Accommodation (CNA), (b) in use CNA, (c) operational capacity and (d) prisoner population was for each young offenders institution on 28 January.

Paul Goggins: The (a) baseline Certified National Accommodation (CNA), (b) in use CNA, (c) operational capacity and (d) prisoner population for each Young Offenders' Institution on 31 January 2005 are given as follows. Table 1 gives the figures for establishments which only hold sentenced young offenders.
	
		Table 1
		
			 Establishment Baseline CNA In use CNA Operational capacity Population 
		
		
			 Portland 533 447 472 455 
			 Deerbolt 513 513 518 441 
			 Rochester 392 392 392 371 
			 Aylesbury 421 356 372 357 
			 Huntercombe 360 360 368 337 
			 Northallerton 153 78 126 110 
			 Werrington 146 146 148 111 
		
	
	Table 2, gives the numbers for establishments that hold other prisoners in addition to sentenced young offenders. The data for CNA and Operational Capacity are available only for the whole of these establishments and cannot be broken down for particular groups.
	
		Table 2
		
			 Establishment Population 
		
		
			 Stoke Heath 580 
			 Glen Parva 505 
			 Lancaster Farms 383 
			 Hindley 374 
			 Moorland 361 
			 Pare 330 
			 Swinfen Hall 302 
			 Castington 280 
			 Wetherby 264 
			 Thorn Cross 249 
			 Ashfield 245 
			 Brinsford 223 
			 Doncaster 207 
			 Feltham 206 
			 Warren Hill 175 
			 Onley 167 
			 Reading 149 
			 Norwich 133 
			 Bullwood Hall 96 
			 Hull 66 
			 Guys Marsh 61 
			 Moorland Open 54 
			 New Hall 53 
			 Chelmsford 46 
			 Woodhill 41 
			 Low Newton 40 
			 Eastwood Park 37 
			 Elmley 36 
			 Holloway 32 
			 Dover 30 
			 Exeter 24 
			 Styal 23 
			 Dorchester 18 
			 Highdown 18 
			 Drake Hall 14 
			 Hollesley Bay 13 
			 Haslar 12 
			 Lewes 12

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Aegis Defence Services

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what information his Department has (a) supplied to and (b) received from the United States Administration regarding that government's award of the Iraq Reconstruction Security Support Services contract to Aegis Defence Services;
	(2)  what discussions there have been between the British and American governments regarding the award of the US Administration's Iraq Reconstruction Security Support Services' contract to Aegis Defence Services.

Bill Rammell: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement made on 12 July 2004, Official Report, columns 5354WS, by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary in which he stated that
	the contract in question was awarded by the United States Government. Her Majesty's Government is not a party to the contract, nor was it involved in any way in its negotiation.

Attorney-General (Iraq Advice)

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 7 March 2005, Official Report, column 1575W, on the Attorney-General (Iraq Advice), whether he had a role other than in its framing, drafting and drawing up in the parliamentary answer given by the Attorney-General on 17 March 2003 on Iraq.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 14 March 2005
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Attorney-General, Lord Goldsmith, to Baroness Hanham on 28 February 2005, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA1, which clearly describes those involved in the parliamentary answer given by him on 17 March 2003 on Iraq and confirms that my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary had no role.

Bangladesh

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department received from the Government of Bangladesh concerning the perpetrators of the attempted assassination of the British high commissioner in Sylhet in 2004.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 14 March 2005
	The investigation into the attack on the British high commissioner in Sylhet in 2004 is ongoing and we remain in contact with the Bangladeshi authorities on this. I emphasized to the Prime Minister in Dhaka in December the importance which we attach to the investigation reaching a swift conclusion.

China

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last had discussions with Chinese officials concerning the Chief Executive and Legislative Council of Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Ministers and officials regularly discuss Hong Kong matters with Chinese officials. My right hon. Friend, the Foreign Secretary discussed Hong Kong's constitutional reform and progress towards universal suffrage with Premier Wen Jiabao and Foreign Minister, Li Zhaoxing in China in January. I also raised these issues when I visited China in July last year. During my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister's talks with the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on 10 May 2004, both Governments reaffirmed their commitment to the implementation of the Joint Declaration and agreed to continue their exchanges of view on these issues.
	Her Majesty's Government support democracy throughout the world as the best means for creating stable, accountable and transparent government, of protecting rights and freedoms, and of upholding the rule of law. The Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) contains provisions regarding the methods of selecting the Chief Executive of the SAR and the formation of the Legislative Council. The ultimate aim of the Basic Law is a Chief Executive and Legislative Council elected by universal suffrage. The Government favour early progress to this end. We hope that the Hong Kong SAR Government will take full account of the wishes of the people of Hong Kong.
	We continue to follow developments in Hong Kong closely, in line with our responsibilities as a co-signatory to the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong.

China

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's policy is on China's occupation of Tibet.

Bill Rammell: Successive British Governments have regarded Tibet as autonomous while recognising the special position of the Chinese authorities there.
	We monitor Tibet-related developments closely. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised the case of a Tibetan prisoner during his visit in January 2005. I personally raised the issue of Tibet with Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hui during my visit to China in October 2004. We also discuss Tibet at our biannual UK/China Human Rights Dialogue, the last round of which was held in Beijing on 22 November 2004.
	We have welcomed visits to China by representatives of the Dalai Lama. We have made clear to the Chinese authorities our view that a long-term, peaceful solution to the Tibet issue can be found only through substantial dialogue without pre-conditions.

China

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the relationship between Taiwan and China.

Bill Rammell: In recent months there have been a few signs suggesting an improvement in the political relationship between China and Taiwan. For example, over the Chinese new year there were direct flights across the Strait for Taiwanese businessmen, the first time for over 50 years that mainland commercial aircraft have landed in Taiwan. Moreover, cross-Strait trade increased by a third last year.
	We welcome these developments and believe that such practical measures build confidence and promote dialogue. We believe that through such pragmatism, real progress can be made. We continue to oppose the use of force and to take the view that the Taiwan question should be settled peacefully through negotiation between the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
	We are paying close attention to the development of China's proposed anti-secession legislation, the background to which I discussed recently with the Vice Minister of China's Taiwan Affairs Office. We continue to urge both sides to avoid unilateral measures that might raise tension.

Departmental Structure

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what definition of the terms (a) directorate, (b) section, (c) unit and (d) team he uses in relation to his Department's internal structures.

Jack Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not have specific definitions for the terms directorate, section, unit and team. However, guidance issued to staff on 6 August 2004 in the context of continuing organisational change is that the long-term aim should be consistency across the Office, while accepting in the short-term this may not be possible.
	The guidance explained that:
	Directorates will remain as they are now.
	The terms Group or Department will describe the next level down
	Team or Section will be the next level below that.
	With the exception of the Strategy Units the term Unit will only be used to describe a temporary operation.
	Changes can be phased in over time.

Departmental Structure

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the sections, teams and units within his Department's Europe Directorate.

Denis MacShane: The answer is as follows:
	Director-General
	Director
	Resource Management Unit
	Presidency Unit
	EU-EXTERNAL
	CFSP/France/Benelux Team
	CFSP Functional Section
	Civilian Crisis Management Section
	France/G8/CFSP Section
	Enlargement/Wider Europe Team
	EU Enlargement Negotiations Section
	GOF Reuniting Europe Programme Management Team
	Northern and Eastern European Team
	EU/FSU and Nordics Section
	Baltic and Eastern European Section
	EU-Middle East/North Africa Section
	EU-Africa/ACP/Development and Economic Section
	Americas/Asia Section
	Eastern Mediterranean Team
	Cyprus/Greece Section
	Turkey Section
	EFTA Section
	EUEASTERN ADRIATIC DEPARTMENT
	EAD
	Kosovo Policy/Albania Section
	Serbia and Montenegro Section
	Regional Issues Section
	Bosnia/Macedonia Section
	EUINTERNAL
	EU Constitution Team
	Justice and Home Affairs/Global Migration Team
	Global Migration/Austria Section
	EU Justice and Home Affairs/Germany Section
	EU Economic, Ireland and Central Europe Team
	EU Economic Reform and Analysis Unit
	Agenda 2007 Unit
	International Trade Team
	EU Forward Planning Unit
	Western Mediterranean Team
	Iberia Section
	EU-Gibraltar/Italy/Malta/Holy See Section

Departmental Structure

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the directorates and sections within his Department.

Jack Straw: The Directorates and Sections operating within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are:
	Americas and Overseas Territories Directorate
	Latin America and Caribbean Department
	North America Team
	Overseas Territories Department
	Defence and Strategic Threats Directorate
	Counter Proliferation Department
	Counter Terrorism Policy Department
	Drugs and International Crime Department
	International Security Directorate
	Security Policy Group
	Conflict Issues Group
	International Organisations Department
	Middle East / North Africa Directorate
	Islamic World Group
	Arab Peninsular and Iran Group
	Arab Israel Group
	South Asia and Afghanistan Directorate
	Afghanistan Group
	South Asia Group
	Afghan Drugs Unit (a cross Whitehall Group located in the FCO)
	Iraq Directorate
	Iraq Policy Unit
	Operations Unit
	Security Sector Reform Unit
	Europe Directorate
	EU Internal
	EU External
	EU Presidency
	Eastern Adriatic Department
	Economic Policy Directorate
	Global Economy Group
	Global Business Group
	G8 Presidency
	Science and Innovation Group
	Global Issues Directorate
	Sustainable Development and Commonwealth Group
	Climate Change and Energy Group
	Human Rights, Democracy and Good Governance Group
	Global Opportunities Fund Central Management
	Africa Directorate
	Africa Department (Equatorial)
	Africa Department (Southern)
	Pan Africa Policy Unit
	Sudan Unit
	Asia Pacific Directorate
	Association of South East Asian Nations Group
	Far Eastern Group
	Strategy and Information Directorate
	Strategy Group
	Information Management Group
	Public Diplomacy Group
	Finance Directorate
	Financial Planning and Performance Department
	Internal Audit Department
	Prism Programme
	Procurement Policy Department
	Resource Accounting Department
	Financial Compliance Unit
	Human Resources Directorate
	HR Direct
	Health and Welfare Policy Team
	Professional Development Policy Group
	Employment Policy Team
	Workforce Planning Team
	Pay and Benefits Policy Team
	Consular Directorate
	Crises Group
	Passports and Documentary Services Group
	Resources Group
	Service Quality Group
	Assistance Group
	Communications Directorate
	Press Office
	Islamic Media Unit
	Some Departments report directly to a Director General or the Permanent Under Secretary.
	These are:
	Eastern Department
	Estate Strategy Unit
	IT Strategy Unit
	Security Strategy Unit
	Protocol Division
	Whitehall Liaison Department
	Legal Advisers
	Other parts of the organisation which do not form part of the directorate structure are:
	FCO Services
	UKVisasA joint FCO and Home Office organisation
	UK Trade and InvestmentA joint FCO and DTI organisation.

Departmental Accounts

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Ministers in his Department have issued written instructions to override his Department's accounting officer's objections since 1997.

Jack Straw: No.

eBay

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department sold any surplus stock on the eBay auction website, in each year since 200001.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 9 March 2005
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) only holds centrally the values realised for the disposal of assets, not the methodology employed for the disposal of those assets. The global nature of the FCO's operations means that this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

European Constitution

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2005, Official Report, column 1251W, on the European Constitution, what his Department's policy on the title of the Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe is; and whether the UK Government proposed an amendment to this title during the negotiation of the Treaty.

Denis MacShane: The title of the Treaty is the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe. The Government did not propose any amendments to it during the negotiations.

European Constitution

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 3 March, Official Report, column 1381W, on the European Constitution, what definition he uses of partnership marketing; and whether the costs of the agencies for partnership marketing and online information were met from the EU Constitution Team programme budget of 613,000 for 200405.

Denis MacShane: The aim of partnership marketing is to work with organisations in the private, public and voluntary sector to deliver information and extend the reach of communication activities. Partners are defined as organisations or companies that provide free or value-added opportunities (as distinct from paid for sponsorship opportunities). The costs of the agencies for partnership marketing and online information are being met from the EU Constitution Team programme budget.

European Constitution

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2005, Official Report, column 1381W, on the European Constitution, what the total staff costs are of the EU Constitution Team in 200405; and whether these are met from the overall programme budget of 613,000 for financial year 200405.

Denis MacShane: Based on average grade costs, staff costs for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's EU Constitution Team amount to 542,819 for 200405. These costs are not met from the Team's programme budget of 613,000.

European Constitution

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to decide whether the Government will distribute the EU Constitution to all households in the United Kingdom prior to the referendum; and what factors will inform his decision.

Denis MacShane: There are no current plans for such a distribution. Factors informing a decision on this issue include the overall cost and public demand. The text of the EU Constitutional Treaty and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Commentary upon it are available free at www.europe.gov.uk. The full text and Commentary have also been made available to central libraries, and are available to members of the public on request from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

European Constitution

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information the Government intend to distribute to every household regarding the EU Constitution (a) prior to the relevant period, (b) during the relevant period and (c) during the referendum period, as defined by the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.

Denis MacShane: No decisions have yet been made on this issue.

European Constitution

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answers of 19 January 2005, Official Report, column 1020W, to the hon. Member for Hornchurch (John Cryer), on the European Constitution, what activities of the Institutions of the EU have been agreed with the Government to date; when he intends to announce the date of the referendum on the European Constitution; and what factors will inform his decision on the date.

Denis MacShane: The Institutions of the EU undertake a basic level of factual information provision about the European Union for the European public. They are in regular contact with Ministers and officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office regarding these activities in the UK.
	Clause 6 (1) of the European Union Bill provides for the date of the referendum to be set by order, after the Bill has been approved by Parliament. No decision has yet been taken on the date. All member states have agreed to pursue ratification of the Treaty by November 2006.

European Constitution

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answers of 19 January 2005, Official Report, column 1020W, to the hon. Member for Hornchurch (John Cryer), on the European Constitution, if he will ensure that the referendum on the European Constitution will not take place on the same date as the nationwide elections to local authorities in May 2006.

Denis MacShane: No decision has yet been taken on the date of the referendum.

European Constitution

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2005, Official Report, column 1020W, on the European Constitution, how he intends to balance the requirement that information issued by his Department is objective with the requirement that it supports Government policy; and who is responsible for ensuring that information issued by his Department is objective.

Denis MacShane: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (John Cryer) on 19 January 2005, Official Report, column 1020W.

European Constitution

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will decide on the service provider for delivering referendum addresses during the referendum on the EU Constitution; and on what criteria he will base his decision.

Christopher Leslie: I have been asked to reply.
	Paragraph 1 of Schedule 12 to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 provides that the service provider for delivery of referendum addresses is to be the universal service provider. Royal Mail is currently the United Kingdom's only postal operator licensed to provide the universal service.

Expatriates

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate how many UK expatriates are living abroad; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: The estimated number of British nationals living abroad for the period financial year 200304 is 13,155,540. This compares to 12,764,134 and 12,927,040 in financial year 200203 and financial year 200102 respectively.

Hajj Delegation

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost to public funds of the UK Hajj delegation was in 200304; and what proposals he has to increase it.

Chris Mullin: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) contributed approximately 30,000 to the costs of the British Delegation to the Hajj in February 2004. The Department of Health contributed a further 20,000. Final figures are not yet available, but we estimate that the FCO contributed about 60,000 to the British Delegation for the most recent Hajj in January 2005. This represents an increase of about 30,000 in the FCO's annual contribution.
	It is not possible to predict at this stage what level of funding will be provided for the Delegation for future Hajjs. Funds are drawn down according to need as planning for each Hajj progresses. Officials will be meeting with other members of the Hajj Advisory Group, including leading representatives of the British Muslim community, to discuss all aspects of planning for the next Hajj in January 2006, including funding.

Hiroshima/Nagasaki (Commemoration)

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether commemorations are planned in August to mark the 60th anniversary of nuclear explosions at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 14 March 2005
	The UK has no plans at present to hold separate commemorative events. We do however fully sympathise with the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The UK is committed to working towards a world free of nuclear weapons, in order to prevent the possibility of a repetition of the terrible events of August 1945.

Iraq

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Iraqi administration that it makes it a condition sine qua non that there be a determination by the UN about the legality of the use of force against Iraq before any person is accused of having committed crimes in Iraq.

Bill Rammell: As the Solicitor-General made clear in his written answer of 17 March 2003, Official Report, column 515W, authority to use force against Iraq derived from the combined effect of UNSCRs 678, 687 and 1441; and all of these resolutions were adopted under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which allows the use of force for the express purpose of restoring international peace and security. We would therefore have no reason to make representations to the Iraqi Government about the legality of the use of force in Iraq.

Iraq

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Iraqi administration on establishing the impartiality of judges operating in Iraq where the identity of the judge is not revealed.

Bill Rammell: We have provided capacity building assistance to the Iraqi Criminal Justice sector, which includes training for the judges of the Iraq Special Tribunal (IST) on the requirements for conducting fair trials according to international standards of due process. The IST comprises senior Iraqi judges and is part of the Iraqi Criminal Justice system. For security reasons the identities of these judges are not made public but this is not expected to have any effect on the impartiality of their judgments.

Iraq

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Tariq Aziz has been allowed to see the evidence against him since his arrest.

Bill Rammell: Assuming an indictment is formally issued against Tariq Aziz, Iraqi law provides that the full disclosure of all evidence does not occur until his case is referred to a trial panel. This has yet to occur.

Iraq

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what access Saddam Hussein has had to the alleged evidence against him.

Bill Rammell: Saddam Hussein was arraigned before an Iraqi investigative judge on 1 July 2004 in relation to the following crimes:
	The 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
	The suppression of the 1991 uprisings.
	The ethnic cleansing campaign against Kurds from 1987 to 1988.
	The gassing of Kurdish villagers in Halabjah in 1988.
	The killing of political activists over a 30-year period.
	The killing of religious figures in 1974.
	The killing of thousands of the Kurdish Barzani clan in 1983.
	This procedure, which informs the accused of his rights, is the start of the investigative process under Iraqi law. Assuming an indictment is formally issued against Saddam Hussein, Iraqi law provides that the full disclosure of all evidence does not occur until his case is referred to a trial panel. This has yet to occur.

Iraq

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has had from ISNAD, the body formed to co-ordinate the efforts aimed at ensuring respect for the law in Iraq, about the (a) legitimacy and (b) legality of the Iraqi Special Tribunal.

Bill Rammell: No representations have been received from ISNAD.

Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the oral answer of 1 March 2005, Official Report, column 805, which parts of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (a) recognise the United Kingdom as a nuclear state and (b) legally allow the United Kingdom to hold nuclear weapons.

Denis MacShane: The United Kingdom, along with China, France, Russia and the United States, are recognised as nuclear weapon states under Article IX.3 of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. It states that:
	a nuclear-weapon State is one which has manufactured and exploded a nuclear weapon or other nuclear explosive device prior to January 1, 1967.
	All other states parties are therefore recognised as non-nuclear weapon states. All states parties must comply with their treaty obligations set out under the treaty articles. These include the obligation under Article VI to
	pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to the cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.

Project Coast

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 28W, on Project Coast, if he will place the information referred to in the Library.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 8 March 2005
	The transcripts of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission are available on the internet at www.doj.gov.za/trc/special/index.htm#cbw. Reports on the trial are available on the Disarmament Diplomacy website at http://www.acronym.org.uk/textonly/dd/dd64/64nr13.htm and http://www.acronym.org.uk/textonly/dd/dd52/index.htm.

Uganda

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the (a) strength, (b) leadership and (c) political objectives of the Ugandan People's Redemption Army; how long it has been active; what assessment he has made of whether it has caused damage to Uganda's infrastructure; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 9 March 2005, Official Report, column 1896W.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Business Starts

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many businesses started up on average each week in the London region in 2004; what the weekly average of such start-ups has been since May 1997; and if she will make a statement on the (a) sustainability and (b) employment-creating and prosperity-generating features of such businesses.

Nigel Griffiths: Barclays Bank's latest survey of business creation, which includes non-VAT registered firms, shows there were 84,000 business start-ups in the London region in 2003 and this approximates to about 1,600 per week. A further 57,000 businesses started up in the first six months of 2004. Since Barclays revised their methodology for calculating the number of start-ups they have not published revised figures for the London region before 2003.
	To give an indication of business start-up rates for 1997 to 2003, DTI figures based solely on VAT registrations for the London region are shown as follows.
	
		VAT registrations in London
		
			  Number per year Average per week 
		
		
			 1997 36,935 708 
			 1998 38,850 745 
			 1999 37,165 713 
			 2000 37,075 709 
			 2001 33,380 640 
			 2002 33,340 639 
			 2003 36,590 702 
			 1997 to 2003 253,335 694 
		
	
	Source:
	Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations
	19942003, Small Business Service, available from:
	http://www.sbs.gov.uk/analytical/statistics/vatstats.php
	VAT registrations do not capture all start-up activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997 and is currently 58,000. Across the UK, only 1.8 million out of 4 million enterprises were registered for VAT at the start of 2003.
	The percentages of VAT registered businesses in the London region still registered after one year are given in the following table:
	
		One year survival rates for VAT registered businesses
		
			 Year of registration Percentage still tradingLondon 
		
		
			 1997 88.7 
			 1998 88.8 
			 1999 88.0 
			 2000 89.6 
			 2001 91.2 
		
	
	Source:
	Business Survival Rates, Small Business Service, available from:
	http://www.sbs.aov.uk/analvtical/statistics/statisticssurvivalrates.php
	Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) make a significant contribution to the prosperity of the London region. For example latest statistics show that SMEs in the London region had a combined turnover of 270 billion at the start of 2003, which represents an average turnover of 420,000 per business. In total, SMEs in the London region provided 1.8 million jobs, representing an average of 2.8 employees per SME.

Chile

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list military equipment contracts with the Government of Chile since 1990, broken down by value of goods.

Patricia Hewitt: Information on the number of Government to Government transfers of major equipment are published, by destination, in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls, available from the Libraries of the House.

Commercial Power Diallers (Silent Telephone Calls)

Anne Picking: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what studies have been carried out on the (a) extent, (b) nature and (c) sources of unsolicited silent telephone calls by commercial power diallers.

Mike O'Brien: The Communications Act 2003 confers powers on the Office of Communications (Ofcom)to regulate forms of behaviour, which fall within the Act's definition of persistent misuse of an electronic communications network or service. Unsolicited silent calls are an example of behaviour, which might represent persistent misuse.
	Ofcom is not aware of any studies that have been carried out in relation to unsolicited silent calls. The most common form of an unsolicited silent call is not intentional, but arises from the use of automated calling systems, also referred to as power diallers or automated calling equipment located within call centres. Calls are automatically generated but in the absence of an available operator to speak to the called party, the call is abruptly terminated.

Commercial Power Diallers (Silent Telephone Calls)

Anne Picking: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans her Department has to combat silent telephone calls by commercial power diallers.

Mike O'Brien: The Communications Act 2003 confers powers on the Office of Communications (Ofcom) to regulate forms of behaviour, which fall within the Act's definition of persistent misuse of an electronic communications network or service. Unsolicited silent calls are an example of behaviour which might represent persistent misuse. The department is in close contact with Ofcom which is in contact with relevant trade bodies.

Correspondence

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Minister of State at the Department of Trade and Industry will reply to the letter dated 26 January from the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan regarding her constituent, Mr. E. Martin of Fraserburgh.

Nigel Griffiths: I answered the letter yesterday.

Cyprus

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the value of exports (a) from Northern Cyprus to the United Kingdom and (b) from the UK to Northern Cyprus was in each of the last three years.

Douglas Alexander: Information on UK trade in goods is classified by HM Customs and Excise according to the Geonomenclature of the European Communities. The nomenclature does not distinguish between Northern Cyprus and the rest of Cyprus and, as a result, the information requested is not available.

Export Control Organisation

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will place in the Library material she has (a) requested and (b) received relating to the operation of the Export Control Organisation and private sector involvement in delivering the Organisation's services.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 14 March 2005
	No. To do so would inhibit the internal discussion on the matter.

Export Control Organisation

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will place in the Library material she has (a) requested and (b) received from the Export Control Organisation relating to efficiency savings.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 14 March 2005
	The Export Control Organisation (ECO) is part of the DTI and as such is subject to the same headcount constraints as other Directorates.

Export Control Organisation

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which (a) services and (b) operational areas of the Export Control Organisation have been assessed for potential outsourcing to the private sector; and if she will make a statement.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 14 March 2005
	The DTI is considering, as part of its overall Efficiency Programme, how best it can continue to deliver high quality export licensing services to industry and Ministers, and as part of that review the Export Control Organisation (ECO) is looking to see whether private sector partner involvement in delivering some of its services would help maintain or improve them within expected resource constraints. No decisions have been taken yet on whether to seek partners and if so, for which functions.

Export Control Organisation

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what (a) discussions and (b) meetings (i) she, (ii) other Ministers in the Department, (iii) officials in the Department and (iv) staff of the Export Control Organisation have held with industry or representatives from industry relating to the future of the Export Control Organisation and private sector involvement in delivering some of that Organisation's services.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 14 March 2005
	There has been no such discussion at this stage except that Export Control Organisation (ECO) officials have briefed the Export Control Advisory Committee that the DTI is considering the matter.

EU Internal Market

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the draft directive establishing a general legal framework for services in the internal market.

Douglas Alexander: In March 2004 the Department launched a wide-ranging public consultation into the EU Directive on Services in the Internal Market. An initial launch event attended by over 200 people was followed up by a series of regional events that took in each of the devolved Administrations. The public consultation attracted 116 written responses all of which were analysed before the Government published their response to the consultation in November 2004.
	Simultaneous to the public consultation the Department consulted across Whitehall to ensure the views of all Government Departments fed into the agreed 'UK negotiating line' that was published along with the responses to the public consultation.
	I believe the liberalising aims of this directive could deliver significant benefits for businesses, consumers and employees here in the UK and across Europe.
	The Department will continue to consult widely on the directive as negotiations develop.

Post Office

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices have closed in Ribble Valley since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Decisions on post office closures are operational matters for Post Office Ltd. (POL). My officials have asked POL to arrange a direct reply to the hon. Member.

Renewable Energy

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will extend permitted development status to the installation of small scale renewables by householders, subject to adequate controls to ensure no or minimal visual intrusion; if she will include this measure in the draft microgeneration strategy due to be published pursuant to section 82 of the Energy Act; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: In January, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister launched a review of the legislation that governs minor development by householders. Meanwhile, it is already the case that, as a general rule, those in dwelling houses can install solar panels and photovoltaic cells without needing to make a planning application, provided the panels do not project significantly above the plane of the roof.
	The strategy for the promotion of microgeneration in the UK will look at a wide variety of measures and there will be a formal public consultation giving all interested parties the opportunity to contribute to the development of the strategy.

Sellafield

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many inspections of the MOX facility at Sellafield have been carried out by Euratom since 1 May 1997; on what dates; and on which occasions Euratom expressed concerns about the operation of this facility.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 14 March 2005
	Euratom safeguards measures are to detect the diversion of nuclear material from its declared uses. The frequency of Euratom safeguards inspections at the Sellafield MOX Plant (SMP) has been a function of the type and form of nuclear material and the processing activities involved. Such inspections were performed at intervals ranging from two weeks to a month in the run-up to plutonium commissioning of SMP in 2002, with the frequency increasing thereafterand currently running at an inspection every two weeks. Our information shows that the plant has been subject to approximately 240 safeguards inspections during the period in question.
	Materials accountancy and safeguards issues that arise in the course of particular safeguards inspections are addressed during the inspection and by means of follow-up correspondence from the European Commission. Such correspondence is classified by the Commission, and this classification must be respected by the UK Government. The Commission does however publish an annual report of its safeguards activities and their findings. Reports are available for the years 1999 to 2003 (references COM (2001) 436, COM (2002) 566, COM (2003) 764 and COM (2004) 861 respectively) and include information on Euratom safeguards activities at SMP.

Small Firms

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how the small firms productivity growth referred to in Public Service Agreement Target 6 of her Department's Business Plan 20058 is measured; and what small firms productivity growth was in each year between 1984 and 2004 on the basis of this measurement.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 7 March 2005
	Productivity growth in small firms is collected through a special analysis of the Office for National Statistics' Annual Business Inquiry. The ABI is an annual survey of around 70,000 businesses. Productivity is measured as Gross Value Added per employee, with small firms defined for this purpose as registered enterprises with 0 to 249 employees.
	Data on small firms productivity growth between 1999 and 2002 are set out in the following table. They show that small firms productivity has grown by at least 3.5 per cent. each year over the last three years.
	Data in this series are not available for periods before 1999. Data for 2003 will be available later this year.
	
		Productivity growth in small firms
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 19992000 3.5 
			 200001 4.3 
			 200102 3.5

Small Firms Loan Guarantee

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Government intends to implement the findings of the Graham Review relating to the future of the Small Firms Loan Guarantee.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 14 March 2005
	In his pre-Budget report in December 2004 my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer committed the Government to implementing the 38 recommendations of the Graham Review by the end of 2005.

Surplus Assets Sales

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether her Department sold any surplus stock on the eBay auction website, in each year since 200001.

Patricia Hewitt: The Department has not sold surplus stock on eBay to date. Most of our IT hardware is owned by Fujitsu Services Ltd., our PFI services provider.

Taxation

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the likely effects of additional tax rises on businesses in the UK in the period 200507 on national (a) private sector employment growth, (b) productivity growth and (c) competitiveness.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	Changes to taxation will be set out by the Chancellor in the budget tomorrow. Prospects for employment, productivity, and competitiveness will be contained in the corresponding Economic Fiscal and Strategy Report.

Tidal Power

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of reports on tidal lagoon electricity generation made available to her Department by WS Atkins and AEA Technology.

Mike O'Brien: The Department has carried out an assessment of both reports in order to inform its thinking on these matters. We have already provided feedback on the AEA Technology report to the company behind the project and are willing to provide similar feedback on our assessment of the WS Atkins Study.

Tidal Power

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representation she has received on the proposal for tidal lagoon electricity generation in Swansea Bay.

Mike O'Brien: The Department has received a number of representations regarding a tidal lagoon project in Swansea Bay and these discussions are ongoing.

Tidal Power

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  for what reasons tidal lagoon projects were not included for support under the proposed Marine Renewables Development Fund;
	(2)  what financial support is being given by the Government to companies that have demonstrated an interest in tidal lagoon electricity generation as a contribution to the Government's renewables objectives.

Mike O'Brien: The Marine Renewables Deployment Fund implements a main recommendation of the Renewables Innovation Review. That is to assist emerging technologies, which show significant potential for cost reduction, to bridge the funding gap between research and development and commercialisation.
	Tidal lagoons are technically feasible being the application of available and well understood technology and are eligible for support through the Renewables Obligation.
	If claims about the favourable economics of these schemes are correct and the projects are sound they should have no difficulty in attracting commercial funds to develop projects.

Tidal Power

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the potential generating capacity of tidal lagoons in UK offshore waters.

Mike O'Brien: Tidal lagoons as with other forms of large-scale barrage have the potential to contribute to the UK's renewable energy targets.
	There have been a number of published studies that considered the potential for tidal barrages. These have provided a good understanding of the potential to exploit variations in the tidal range in a range of locations.
	In assessing particular sites, developers will need to consider both the economics and potential environmental impacts of any scheme.

Vehicle Imports

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many vehicles were imported into the UK in each year since 1997.

Jacqui Smith: According to figures published by HM Customs and Excise, the numbers of motor vehicles imported into the UK were as follows:
	
		Number of motor vehicles imported into the UK 1997 to 2004
		
			  Million 
		
		
			 1997 1.7 
			 1998 2.2 
			 1999 1.8 
			 2000 1.9 
			 2001 2.3 
			 2002 2.5 
			 2003 2.7 
			 2004 2.4 
		
	
	Note:
	Motor vehicles are defined as codes 781, 782 and 783 of the Standard International Trade Classification, Revision 3, (SITC Rev 3).

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive

Martin Salter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the effect of implementing a system of collective responsibility for all future waste electronic and electrical products on (a) the incentives for electronic and electrical producers to implement eco-design policies and (b) the ability of producers to avoid contributing to recycling costs by going out of business or other methods.

Mike O'Brien: The Government have consulted on draft Regulations to implement the EU Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), which proposed provisions to allow producers to discharge their producer responsibility obligations in relation to household WEEE from their own products, within a system of collective responsibility.
	The Government will be taking final decisions shortly on the shape of the final implementing regulations. The Government are considering how best to reflect the Directive's objectives in relation to individual producer responsibility for new household WEEE, bearing in mind the encouragement this provides towards sustainable design.
	The Government are considering carefully the consultation responses, which have shown varying producer views on collective and individual producer responsibility. It appears from discussions with producers that individual producer responsibility is, in many instances, not yet practical, but it may become so in the future. The Government are concerned in UK implementation both to deliver the objectives of the WEEE Directive and to establish a workable UK system for separate collection, treatment and recovery of WEEE.

Wind Energy Conference

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her Department's co-sponsorship of the European Wind Energy Conference and Exhibition.

Mike O'Brien: The DTI co-sponsored the European Wind Energy Conference event in 2004. All previous events have been part sponsored by the host nation's Government Department.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State delivered the keynote address and I also spoke.
	The event had over 1,500 participants and 260 companies exhibiting, including many UK companies and it provided an opportunity to showcase British business in the renewables supply chain to European and International businesses.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Child Support

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of child support cases in Northern Ireland were being assessed under the new criteria on 1 March.

John Spellar: The percentage of child support cases in Northern Ireland being assessed under the new rules as of 1 March 2005 is 18 per cent.

Engagements

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in his Department, the hon. Member for Dudley, South (Mr. Pearson), will meet the hon. Member for East Londonderry to discuss the financial implications of the range of cultural matters in Northern Ireland that have been communicated to him by the hon. Member for East Londonderry.

Ian Pearson: My office has proposed a meeting with the hon. Gentleman before the end of this month.

Public Processions

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on which date (a) the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) was first consulted about the draft Public Processions (Amendment) Northern Ireland Order 2005 and (b) the Department received a response from the NIHRC.

Ian Pearson: The Public Processions (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 is part of a package of measures I announced by written ministerial statement on 22 February 2005, Official Report, column 14WS. The package responded to Sir George Quigley's review of the Parades Commission and the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998, the consultation on that report on parading was published in January this year. The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission contributed to the consultation on the Quigley report in October 2003 and gave evidence to NIAC.
	I wrote to the Human Rights Commission on 22 February indicating that I had laid, on that day, the draft Public Processions (Amendment) Northern Ireland Order 2005. The Human Rights Commission has not responded to this letter to date.

Public Processions

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will place in the Library a copy of the response from the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission to the draft Public Processions (Amendment) Northern Ireland Order 2005.

Ian Pearson: I wrote to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission on the 22 February 2005 with regard to the Public Processions (Amendment) Northern Ireland Order 2005. The NIHRC has not yet responded to that letter.

Shellfish and Whitefish

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been provided to the fish processing sector of the Northern Ireland fishing industry in relation to the tie-up scheme which was in operation in 2004.

Ian Pearson: The 2004 Transitional Aid Scheme was designed to compensate those most affected by the closure namely the whitefish fleet. The Fish Processing sector did not qualify for this particular scheme.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Disabled Access

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total cost of his Department's advertising campaign to inform small businesses of the adjustments required for disabled access under the Disabilities Discrimination Act 1995 was.

Maria Eagle: The total budget for the 200405 communications campaign to inform small businesses of their duties under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 is 4.4 million. The first phase of the campaign ran from April to September last year at a cost of 2.4 million, and aimed to alert small employers and service providers to the introduction of the October 2004 duties of the DDA. The second phase of the campaign, which started in January this year and ends this month, has a budget of 2 million; this is aimed at reminding service providers of new duties placed on them by the changes to the access provisions introduced from October 2004.

Financial Assistance Scheme

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the first payments will be made to the former workers at the Allied Steel and Wire Works in Cardiff under the Government's Financial Assistance Scheme.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer to the written ministerial statement I gave on 22 February 2005, Official Report, column 16WS.

Financial Assistance Scheme

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the estimated cost is of implementing the Financial Assistance Scheme for all former Cardiff Allied Steel and Wire workers who were 57 years or older on 14 May 2004.

Malcolm Wicks: Estimates cannot be made of the cost of assistance for members of individual schemes until we have received more detailed information; including information on what the scheme pension age is for individual members, their distance from scheme pension age as at 14 May 2004, and their individual losses in the schemes.

Information (Post Offices)

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information published by his Department (a) may be obtained by the public in post offices and (b) could previously be obtained by the public in post offices but may not now be so obtained; and how much was spent making each of these categories of information available in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: The following leaflets are currently available for post offices to stock.
	Your Guide to Winter Fuel Payments (WFPL1)
	Direct Payment (DPL1DEC04)
	Pension Credit (PCL1OCT04)
	Pensioners Guide (PG1OCT04)
	Jobcentre Plus Services (JPS1OCT04)
	Child Support AgencyWhat it may mean for you (CSL103)
	Cut Your Council Tax (GL17FA5)
	Notes:
	1. The winter fuel payments leaflet is usually only displayed between October and March to coincide with the information campaign. 2. Bilingual or stand alone Welsh versions are available from post offices in Wales. 3. Until June 2004, the new deal for lone parents leaflet was also available from post offices. This information product is now targeted at a more local level, for example through the local office relationship with libraries etc.
	Prior to 2 June 2004, the Department had a contract in place with Post Office Ltd. for the display of key Departmental leaflets and posters in post office display panels. This was known as the POPOS (post office point of sale) display. Post Office Ltd. terminated this contract with effect from 2 June 2004.
	The last direct cost for displaying leaflets in post offices was 332,000, which covered the final quarter of the POPOS contract (April 2004June 2004).
	The leaflets currently available from post offices are issued as part of the wider Order Book Encashment Contract. It is not possible to separately identify the costs for this service from the fixed costs within the contract.

Myasthenia Gravis

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the benefit entitlements are for people under pensionable age who are diagnosed as suffering from myasthenia gravis.

Maria Eagle: I refer my hon. Friend to reply I gave to the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Robathan) on 1 December 2004, Official Report, column 177W.

New Deal (Blyth Valley)

Ronnie Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) young people, (b) single mothers and (c) other people have participated in the new deal in Blyth Valley.

Jane Kennedy: The available information is in the table.
	
		New deal in Blyth Valley
		
			  Individual starts Individuals into work 
		
		
			 Total 4,080 2,380 
			 Young people 1,950 1,270 
			 Single mothers 940 560 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Young people data relate to the number of people who have started, and gained a job through, the new deal for young people and people aged 24 and under on the new deal for lone parents.
	2. Single mothers data relates to the number of female lone parents who have started, and gained a job through, the new deal for lone parents. 3. The total relates to the number of individuals in Blyth Valley who have benefited from the new deal for young people, new deal 25 plus, new deal for lone parents and the new deal 50 plus.
	4. New deal for disabled people and new deal for partners information is not available at constituency level.
	5. New deal for young people, new deal 25 plus and new deal for lone parents data are to September 2004.
	6. New deal 50 plus data are to March 2003. New deal 50 plus information is not available at constituency level after March 2003.
	7. The new deal for young people started in January 1998; new deal 25 plus started in July 1998; new deal for lone parents started in October 1998; new deal 50 plus started in April 2000.
	8. Individuals can be counted in more than one category.
	9. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate

Pensions (Ribble Valley)

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on (a) male and (b) female recipients of (i) the basic state pension, (ii) SERPS and (iii) pension credit in the Ribble Valley in the last year for which figures are available.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is in the table.
	
		 million
		
			 Expenditure 200304 Male Female 
		
		
			 Basic state pension 32 43 
			 Additional state pension 10 4 
			 Pension credit 3 2 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are for Ribble Valley constituency and are rounded to the nearest  million.
	2. Ribble Valley data are taken from a 5 per cent. sample of benefit records and is subject to a degree of sampling variation. These data are then used to provide the male and female splits and are applied to expenditure from Departmental accounting systems.
	3. Basic state pension figures do not include non-contributory retirement pension.
	4. Expenditure on pension credit includes minimum income guarantee for April to September 2003.
	Source:
	DWP 5 per cent. sample March 2004.

CABINET OFFICE

Civil Servants

Sarah Teather: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many civil servants were (a) suspended and (b) dismissed from employment in the Office in each year since 2001 for gross professional misconduct.

David Miliband: The Cabinet Office has suspended and dismissed the following number of employees for gross professional misconduct since 2001.
	
		
			  Suspended Dismissed 
		
		
			 2001 2 0 
			 2002 0 0 
			 2003 1 1 
			 2004 2 1 
			 2005 (To 15 March) 0 1

Civil Servants

Sarah Teather: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many civil servants were (a) suspended and (b) dismissed from employment in the Office in each year since 2001 under suspicion of having breached the Official Secrets Act 1989.

David Miliband: The Cabinet Office has not suspended or dismissed any if its employees for breach of the Official Secrets Act 1989 since 2001.

Departmental Accounts

Tony Baldry: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether Ministers in the Cabinet Office have issued written instructions to override his Department's accounting officer's objections since 1997.

David Miliband: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury gave to him on 14 March 2005, Official Report, column 80W.

Members (Consultancy)

Julian Lewis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what inquiries he has made into payments made to the right hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) by companies involved in major commercial deals with the NHS; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what inquiries he has made into payments made to the right hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) for speeches and consultancy services, by a firm which has been involved in major commercial dealings with the Department for Education and Skills; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: holding answer 4 and 7 March 2005
	None.

Official Residences

Chris Grayling: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list the official residences for which his Department is responsible; who occupies each one; what the annual cost is of running each property; what contribution the occupants of each made towards running costs; what the total capital and refurbishment expenditure has been on those properties in each of the past five years; how much money was spent in each property on (a) flowers and plants, (b) wine and entertaining, (c) food, (d) telephone bills and (e) electricity and gas in 200304; how many (i) domestic and (ii) maintenance staff are employed at each property, broken down by post; and what the total cost of staff employment was in 200304.

David Miliband: With regards to which residences the Department is responsible for and who occupies them, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 20 January 2005, Official Report, column 1037W, by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.
	On general running and refurbishment/maintenance costs in each of the last five years, I refer the hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. Friend, the then Minister for the Cabinet Office (Ruth Kelly), gave on 1 November 2004, Official Report, column 129W, to the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr. Prisk).

Parliamentary Questions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list the projects being undertaken by his Department in respect of which information cannot be given in answer to parliamentary questions because of commercial confidentiality.

David Miliband: A decision not to release information relating to any project as a result of commercial confidentiality is made on the basis of the specific request made in each parliamentary question.
	An assessment of commercial confidentiality may apply to a specific element within a project as well as to an entire project. It is, therefore, not possible to provide the information requested.

Sikh Employees

David Taylor: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people employed by the civil service state their religion as Sikh.

David Miliband: Information on the numbers of civil servants by religious group is not collected centrally.

HEALTH

Ageing Population

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects on costs of social services of an ageing population; what research he has commissioned on the impact of an ageing population on (a) social services and (b) the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department commissioned the personal social services research unit (PSSRU) at the London School of Economics to conduct a study of the demand for and cost of long-term care for older people. The research team reported in August 2003. The findings of this research have been published, and are available on the PSSRU's website at www.pssru.ac.uk.
	The European Union Economic Policy Committee (EPC) has also made projections of public expenditure on health and long-term social care. The results of its research can be found on the EPC's website at http://europa.eu.int/index en.htm. The EPC projections will be updated later in 2005.
	In his report, Securing our Future Health: Taking a Long Term View, published in April 2002, Sir Derek Wanless indicated that the cost impact of increased life expectancy is likely to be small compared with other cost drivers.

Allergy Services

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what progress his Department has made in the review of the available data and research on the epidemiology of allergic conditions that the Government undertook to carry out in their response to the Health Select Committee's Report on the Provision of Allergy Services;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the need for specific allergy services outlined by the Health Select Committee's Report on the Provision of Allergy Services; and what progress his Department has made with the provision of specific allergy services since publication of the Committee's report;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the resources necessary to commission the evidence review of allergy services mentioned in the Government's response to the Health Select Committee's Report on the Provision of Allergy Services.

Stephen Ladyman: The Government's response (Cm 6433) to the Health Committee's report on the provision of allergy services stated that the first step towards any programme of improvements in allergy services should be a review of the available data and research on the epidemiology of allergic conditions and the effectiveness of relevant interventions. Officials are currently working to identify the resources needed to take forward this work.
	We hope to complete the review by summer 2006 and we will consider what further action to take in light of this review.

Alzheimer's Disease

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) donepezil, (b) rivastigmine and (c) galantamine in treating Alzheimer's sufferers; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 8 March 2005
	The National Institute of Clinical Effectiveness (NICE) issued guidelines in 2001 on the clinical and cost effectiveness of donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine in the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. It is currently reviewing this guidance and on 1 March issued draft guidance for consultation. Further details are available on NICE'S website at www.nice.org.uk.
	NICE is a special health authority, which was set up in April 1999 to give advice to the national health service on best clinical practice, including the clinical and cost effectiveness of drugs and other treatments, to help reduce variation in prescribing practice.
	NICE is an independent body, which develops its guidance after careful consideration of the available evidence, and in close consultation with patient groups, professional organisations and the pharmaceutical industry.

Alzheimer's Disease

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects a decision from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence on the use of the drug Ebiza for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Stephen Ladyman: Information on the timescales for the production of all National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance is available on its website at www.nice.org.uk.

Bed Occupancy (London Acute Trusts)

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the bed occupancy rates for acute trusts in London were in each of the last four years.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Average daily number of available and occupied beds by sector in London Acute Trusts, 200004
		
			   200304 
			   Total 
			   Available Occupied Percentage occupied 
		
		
			 RF4 Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust 1,491 1,348 90.4 
			 RVL Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 1,001 934 93.2 
			 RRP Barnet Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust 751 677 90.2 
			 RNJ Barts and the London NHS Trust 1,090 987 90.6 
			 RG3 Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust 546 480 88.0 
			 TAP Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust 424 385 90.9 
			 RV3 Central and North West London Mental Health NHS Trust 814 707 86.8 
			 ROM Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust 503 460 91.4 
			 RC3 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust 436 388 89.0 
			 RWK East London and the City Mental Health NHS Trust 628 586 93.3 
			 RVR Epsom and St. Helier NHS Trust 873 735 84.2 
			 RP4 Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Trust 293 213 72.7 
			 RJ1 Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust 1,278 992 77.7 
			 RON Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust 1,037 940 90.6 
			 RQX Homerton University Hospital NHS Trust 508 434 85.5 
			 RJZ King's College Hospital NHS Trust 966 887 91.8 
			 RAX Kingston Hospital NHS Trust 585 515 88.1 
			 RJ6 Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust 729 639 87.7 
			 RP6 Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Trust 49 33 68.0 
			 RNH Newham Healthcare NHS Trust 449 366 81.4 
			 RAT North East London Mental Health NHS Trust 726 660 90.9 
			 RAP North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 478 440 92.1 
			 RPG Oxleas NHS Trust 442 423 95.7 
			 RG2 Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust 484 423 87.5 
			 RGZ Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust 453 379 83.7 
			 RT3 Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust 388 340 87.7 
			 RAL Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 889 782 88.0 
			 RAN Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 194 143 73.6 
			 RV5 South London and Maudsley NHS Trust 1,054 996 94.5 
			 RQY South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust 740 86.6 846 
			 RJ7 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust 1,000 865 86.5 
			 RJ5 St Mary's NHS Trust 635 594 93.5 
			 RAS The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust 539 472 87.6 
			 RJ2 The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust 583 517 88.7 
			 RV8 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 874 779 89.2 
			 RPY The Royal Marsden NHS Trust 231 194 84.1 
			 RKE The Whittington Hospital NHS Trust 443 403 90.9 
			 RRV University College London Hospitals NHS Trust 926 799 86.2 
			 RKL West London Mental Health NHS Trust 673 625 92.8 
			 RFW West Middlesex University NHS Trust 388 362 93.3 
			 RGC Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust 739 671 90.8 
		
	
	
		
			   200203 
			   Total 
			   Available Occupied Percentage occupied 
		
		
			 RF4 Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust 1,473 1,346 91.4 
			 RVL Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 1,030 937 90.9 
			 RRP Barnet Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust 701 670 95.5 
			 RNJ Barts and the London NHS Trust 1,093 985 90.1 
			 RG3 Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust 606 524 86.5 
			 TAP Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust 451 388 86.0 
			 RV3 Central and North West London Mental Health NHS Trust 847 718 84.8 
			 ROM Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust 509 465 91.4 
			 RC3 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust 415 375 90.5 
			 RWK East London and the City Mental Health NHS Trust 637 593 93.1 
			 RVR Epsom and St. Helier NHS Trust 872 744 85.3 
			 RP4 Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Trust 282 205 72.9 
			 RJ1 Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust 1,267 1,004 79.2 
			 RON Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust 1,021 917 89.8 
			 RQX Homerton University Hospital NHS Trust 473 411 87.0 
			 RJZ King's College Hospital NHS Trust 925 837 90.5 
			 RAX Kingston Hospital NHS Trust 576 504 87.6 
			 RJ6 Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust 711 663 93.3 
			 RP6 Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Trust 51 29 57.3 
			 RNH Newham Healthcare NHS Trust 452 397 87.9 
			 RAT North East London Mental Health NHS Trust 757 693 91.6 
			 RAP North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 477 443 92.9 
			 RPG Oxleas NHS Trust 483 471 97.5 
			 RG2 Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust 493 420 85.3 
			 RGZ Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust 447 358 80.0 
			 RT3 Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust 392 343 87.6 
			 RAL Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 906 784 86.6 
			 RAN Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 179 130 72.8 
			 RV5 South London and Maudsley NHS Trust 925 908 98.1 
			 RQY South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust 846 716 84.6 
			 RJ7 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust 983 829 84.4 
			 RJ5 St Mary's NHS Trust 636 592 93.1 
			 RAS The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust 668 594 88.9 
			 RJ2 The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust 583 512 87.7 
			 RV8 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 895 755 84.3 
			 RPY The Royal Marsden NHS Trust 232 192 82.9 
			 RKE The Whittington Hospital NHS Trust 429 417 97.2 
			 RRV University College London Hospitals NHS Trust 834 717 86.0 
			 RKL West London Mental Health NHS Trust 654 623 95.2 
			 RFW West Middlesex University NHS Trust 431 378 87.8 
			 RGC Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust 751 669 89.1 
		
	
	
		
			   200102 
			   Total 
			   Available Occupied Percentage occupied 
		
		
			 RF4 Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust 1,426 1,328 93.2 
			 RVL Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 1,037 923 89.0 
			 RRP Barnet Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust 743 690 92.9 
			 RNJ Barts and the London NHS Trust 1,115 982 88.1 
			 RG3 Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust 655 521 79.5 
			 TAP Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust (23) (23) (23) 
			 RV3 Central and North West London Mental Health NHS Trust 640 584 91.2 
			 ROM Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust 509 402 78.9 
			 RC3 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust 395 364 92.1 
			 RWK East London and the City Mental Health NHS Trust 493 408 82.7 
			 RVR Epsom and St. Helier NHS Trust 960 814 84.8 
			 RP4 Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Trust 279 210 75.1 
			 RJ1 Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust 1,248 982 78.7 
			 RON Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust 1,021 901 88.3 
			 RQX Homerton University Hospital NHS Trust 461 417 90.5 
			 RJZ King's College Hospital NHS Trust 913 807 88.3 
			 RAX Kingston Hospital NHS Trust 590 501 84.9 
			 RJ6 Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust 727 654 90.0 
			 RP6 Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Trust 61 43 70.5 
			 RNH Newham Healthcare NHS Trust 463 390 84.1 
			 RAT North East London Mental Health NHS Trust 840 727 86.6 
			 RAP North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 487 439 90.3 
			 RPG Oxleas NHS Trust 452 446 98.6 
			 RG2 Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust 483 455 94.3 
			 RGZ Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust 435 351 80.7 
			 RT3 Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust 378 340 89.9 
			 RAL Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 923 703 76.1 
			 RAN Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 163 120 73.7 
			 RV5 South London and Maudsley NHS Trust 967 925 95.6 
			 RQY South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust 838 777 92.6 
			 RJ7 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust 990 842 85.0 
			 RJ5 St Mary's NHS Trust 636 570 89.6 
			 RAS The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust 661 585 88.6 
			 RJ2 The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust 560 521 92.9 
			 RV8 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 830 757 91.2 
			 RPY The Royal Marsden NHS Trust 241 197 81.8 
			 RKE The Whittington Hospital NHS Trust 405 387 95.6 
			 RRV University College London Hospitals NHS Trust 832 707 85.0 
			 RKL West London Mental Health NHS Trust 569 543 95.6 
			 RFW West Middlesex University NHS Trust 432 419 96.9 
			 RGC Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust 846 732 86.5 
		
	
	
		
			   200001 
			   Total 
			   Available Occupied Percentage occupied 
		
		
			 RF4 Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust (23); (23); (23); 
			 RVL Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 913 835 91.4 
			 RRP Barnet Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust (23); (23); (23); 
			 RNJ Barts and the London NHS Trust 1,056 892 84.5 
			 RG3 Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust 655 521 79.5 
			 TAP Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust (23); (23); (23); 
			 RV3 Central and North West London Mental Health NHS Trust 732 621 84.8 
			 ROM Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust 481 367 76.2 
			 RC3 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust 379 333 87.8 
			 RWK East London and the City Mental Health NHS Trust 514 480 93.4 
			 RVR Epsom and St. Helier NHS Trust 935 771 82.4 
			 RP4 Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Trust 272 203 74.6 
			 RJ1 Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust 1,243 979 78.8 
			 RON Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust 1,056 866 82.0 
			 RQX Homerton University Hospital NHS Trust 491 444 90.5 
			 RJZ King's College Hospital NHS Trust 978 803 82.1 
			 RAX Kingston Hospital NHS Trust 575 503 87.5 
			 RJ6 Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust 767 568 74.0 
			 RP6 Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Trust 61 42 68.9 
			 RNH Newham Healthcare NHS Trust 470 405 86.2 
			 RAT North East London Mental Health NHS Trust (23) (23) (23) 
			 RAP North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 397 334 84.3 
			 RPG Oxleas NHS Trust 391 354 90.7 
			 RG2 Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust 477 436 91.4 
			 RGZ Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust 448 370 82.5 
			 RT3 Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust 421 357 85.0 
			 RAL Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 974 805 82.7 
			 RAN Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 194 151 78.0 
			 RV5 South London and Maudsley NHS Trust 960 929 96.8 
			 RQY South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust 595 541 90.9 
			 RJ7 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust 984 833 84.6 
			 RJ5 St Mary's NHS Trust 579 510 88.0 
			 RAS The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust 654 581 88.8 
			 RJ2 The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust 561 491 87.6 
			 RV8 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 852 698 81.9 
			 RPY The Royal Marsden NHS Trust 240 200 83.3 
			 RKE The Whittington Hospital NHS Trust 461 400 86.8 
			 RRV University College London Hospitals NHS Trust 848 786 92.8 
			 RKL West London Mental Health NHS Trust (23); (23); (23); 
			 RFW West Middlesex University NHS Trust 410 367 89.5 
			 RGC Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust (23); (23); (23); 
		
	
	(23) No data.
	Source:
	Department of Health form KH03

Care Homes

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average length of stay of an elderly person in a care home was in the last period for which figures are available.

Stephen Ladyman: This information is not collected routinely. However, a study by the personal social services research unit has shown that the estimated average length of stay of older supported residents is around 30 months.

Child Poverty

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to achieve the Government's targets of ending child poverty by 2020, and halving it by 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 9 March 2005
	The Government sets out the steps that departments across Government are taking to achieve the targets of ending child poverty by 2020 and halving it by 2010 in the Child Poverty Review, published alongside the 2004 Spending Review and available at www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/spending_review/spend_sr04/associated_documents/spending_sr04_childpoverty.cfm.
	There is a strong link between poverty and ill health. The Government have set targets to reduce health inequalities and have set out an extensive programme in Tackling Health Inequalities: A Programme for Action (2003) and the Choosing Health (2004) White Paper.

Cross-border Tracking

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what cross-border tracking of adults on the at risk register takes place between the relevant authorities in England and Wales.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 4 March 2005
	There is no at risk register for adults. Councils with social services responsibilities who are placing people in services between the relevant authorities in England and Wales, must ensure that all appropriate information about the person, including information relating to risk, is made known to the new authority.
	The protection of vulnerable adults scheme lists people who have been banned from working in regulated social care sector. The scheme, which was introduced in July 2004, applies in both England and Wales.
	No Secrets, the guidance to councils on developing and implementing procedures to protect vulnerable adults from abuse, encourages councils to adopt adult protection committees to lead on preventing and tackling abuse. We expect councils to have regard to the guidance particularly where vulnerable adults are transferred across boundaries.

Dentistry

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practices in Lancashire are accepting (a) children, (b) pensioners and (c) adult NHS patients, broken down by primary care trust.

Rosie Winterton: The table shows the number of dental practices in Lancashire which are accepting of new patients.
	
		
			 Primary care trust (PCT) Total practices in PCT Registering children aged 018 years for NHS treatment Registering charge exempt adults for NHS treatment Registering charge paying adults for NHS treatment 
		
		
			 Blackburn and Darwen 25
			 Blackpool 18
			 Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale 37
			 Chorley and South Ribble 27 4 1  
			 Fylde 14 5 2 2 
			 Hyndburn and Ribble Valley 20
			 Morecambe Bay 55 4   
			 Preston 28
			 West Lancashire 16 8 7 6 
			 Wyre 15
			 Total 230 21 10 8 
		
	
	Note:
	The totals do not differentiate between pensioners and adult patients. However, it does differentiate between charge exempt and charge paying adults.
	Source:
	nhs.uk website on 11 March 2005.

Dentists

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision of NHS dental care in England; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: We are aware that, in some parts of the country, people have difficulty in accessing a national health service dentist. We are undertaking a programme of reforms to make NHS dentistry more attractive to dentists and increase the number of dental training places. As an interim measure, we are committed to recruiting the equivalent of 1,000 dentists by October 2005. Recruitment from countries with a surplus of dentists is already proving helpful. For example, 28 Polish dentists began work in England in January, with a further 41 starting work during March and early April.

Departmental Policies (Tamworth)

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Tamworth constituency, the effects on the constituency of changes to his Department's policies since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: The Government have put in place a programme of National Health Service investment and reform since 1997 to improve service delivery in all parts of the United Kingdom. There is significant evidence that these policies have yielded considerable benefits for the Tamworth constituency.
	For example:
	At the end of December 2004, the number of people waiting more than nine months for in-patient treatment within the Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth primary care trust (PCT) has fallen to zero, from 261 in June 2002.
	At the end of December 2004, the number of patients waiting over 13 weeks for out-patient treatment within Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth PCT has fallen to 198, from 300 in June 2002.
	In June 2003, at Mid Staffordshire General Hospitals NHS Trust, 89.3 per cent. of patients spent less than four hours in accident and emergency from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge. Figures for December 2004 show an improvement to 99.5 per cent.
	Between September 1997 and June 2004, the number of consultants at Mid Staffordshire General Hospitals NHS Trust has increased from 63 to 80. Between September 1997 and September 2003, the number of nurses has increased from 687 to 836.
	Between September 2001 and June 2004, the number of general medical practitioners within Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth PCT has increased from 85 to 96.
	Figures for December 2004 show that all patients within Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth PCT are able to be offered an appointment with a GP within two working days and a primary care professional within one working day.
	100 per cent. of urgent GP referrals to Mid Staffordshire General Hospitals NHS Trust, with suspected cancer, are seen by a specialist within two weeks of the referral.
	An additional new cardiac catheter laboratory, which includes x-ray equipment for diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease, will be delivered to the Staffordshire General Hospital during spring 2005.

Drug Treatment (Tamworth)

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have received treatment for drug abuse in Tamworth in the last 12 months.

Stephen Ladyman: The information is not available at constituency level.
	1,240 individuals were in contact with structured drug treatment services in Staffordshire during 200304.
	Source
	National Treatment Agency for Drug Abuse.

Private Finance Initiative Contracts

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the private finance initiative contracts which (a) his Department and (b) NHS Estates advertised in 2004, indicating in each case whether the output specification included (a) clauses specifically relating to energy consumption and energy efficiency, (b) a requirement for relevant equipment being purchased to be on the Government's Energy Technology List, (c) a requirement to use whole life costing to assess energy costs for new buildings or major refurbishments and (d) a requirement that new buildings or major refurbishments would be constructed to a specific energy standard; and what standard was specified in each case.

John Hutton: It is for national health service trusts to advertise their private finance initiative contracts. Neither the Department nor NHS Estates placed any adverts for private finance initiative contracts in 2004.

Local Authorities (Caring Responsibilities)

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which local authorities have sought determination from him in relation to which local authority is responsible for people for which more than one local authority has a caring responsibility in each year since 2000; and on what particular matters they sought determination in each case.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 3 March 2005
	The local authorities that have sought determinations from the Secretary of State are shown in the following table. In each case, the determination sought was of the ordinary residence of an individual under Section 32 (3) of the National Assistance Act 1948.
	
		
			  Local authority 
		
		
			 2001 Barnet and Westminster 
			  Camden and West Sussex 
			  Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 
			  Lambeth and West Sussex 
			  Cheshire and Surrey 
			   
			 2002 Hounslow and Slough 
			  Wolverhampton and Powys and Worcestershire 
			 2003 Oldham and Liverpool 
			  Tower Hamlets and Thurrock 
			  Bexley and Lambeth 
			  Waltham Forest and Hackney 
			  Telford and Wrekin and Cheshire 
			   
			 2004 Milton Keynes and Derbyshire 
			  Warrington and Wirral 
			  Bracknell and Woking 
			  Greenwich and Bexley 
			  North Somerset and Warwickshire

Mount Vernon Hospital

John Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of the burns and plastic surgery unit at Mount Vernon hospital, Northwood.

Stephen Ladyman: The burns services at Mount Vernon are currently housed in temporary buildings erected in 1943 and it is felt by Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire strategic health authority (SHA) that they are not suitable for delivery of 21st century care. Therefore, it is proposed through their 'Investing in your health' programme that the burns and plastics unit be re-sited to Watford general hospital. There is a programme board considering the viability of this move, with representation from Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA and the North West London SHA, Hillingdon primary care trust and the community voice (an umbrella action group of local organisations interested in the service). The outcome of the review will be subject to consultation.

Paddington Health Campus

John Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what hospital facilities are to be combined on the Paddington Health Campus site; and what the change is in the number of beds to be available at the site in comparison to the number offered at the locations which the new hospital is to replace.

Stephen Ladyman: The outline business case for the Paddington Health Campus, submitted in December 2004, provides full details about the combined facilities to be provided for the Royal Brompton, Harefield and St Mary's national health service trusts, which include laboratory medicine, therapies, pharmacy, education and training, facilities management and corporate support services. The key facilities to be provided within the campus are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Operating theatres 22 
			 Delivery suites 8 
			 Scoping rooms 6 
			 Cardiac catheter laboratories 7 
			 Angiography 2 
			 Computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging 13 
		
	
	The number of in-patient beds proposed for the Paddington Health Campus is 923, compared to the total of 1,017 beds currently provided at the St. Mary's, Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals. The reduction in bed numbers reflects a transfer of local cardiology services to local hospitals and a redistribution of clinical care into community settings, following a major review involving local primary care trusts.

Respite Care

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he gives to London boroughs on the provision of respite care in each borough.

Stephen Ladyman: Research shows the best way to enable carers to continue to care is by enabling them to take a break from caring. The Government are increasing the amount of money put aside specifically to support carers in England through the carers grant. The grant is worth 125 million in 200405 and rises to 185 million in 200506. The grant will then continue at this level until at least 200708.

Respite Care

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many days of respite care were available in each London borough in each year from 1997 to 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: This information is not held centrally.

Social Care Costs

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people contribute to (a) some or (b) all of their social care costs for (i) home care and (ii) all residential care following a means-test, in the area which most closely corresponds to Mid Worcestershire constituency.

Stephen Ladyman: This information is not held centrally.

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the likely total debt of Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust at the end of this financial year; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Audited information on the financial position of national health service trusts will be published in their individual annual accounts. These data will be available centrally in the autumn. We have no plans to publish un-audited information.